SITY  OF 
LOS 


JFORNIA 
LES 


ROBERT  ERNEST  COWAN 


*v*t*y 


Th 


Story  of  a  Pioneer 


By  V.  Devinny 


AN  HISTORICAL  SKETCH 
in  which  is  depicted  some  of  the 
Struggles  and  Exciting  Incidents 
Pertaining  to  the  Early  Settlement 
of  Colorado 


DENVER. COLORADO 
THE    REED    PUBLISHING    COMPANY 

Nineteen    Hundred    Four 


•  '• 


•      •  .  • " 


•    i  •  * 


•  •        • 


.•     ••••••••     ••    •    • 


Copyright,    1904,   by 
V.  DEVINNY 


PRESS     OF 


iLtf*  Stppfc  $JubUtfhiu«  (Company 


DENVER 


«     i  i 


U3 
CO 


iio  tljr  IBrau?  pmteers  and  etym  (Etjilfcmt 

fHg  Jfrirn&a  anii  (Uomra&PB 

Who  reclaimed   from  savagery  and  dreary  desolation  the 

great  desert  region  of  the  West,  and  converted  it 

into  a  home  of  enlightened  civilization  and 

wealth,  this  book  is  affectionately 

dedicated  with  pride  and 


25  pleasure  by 

THE   AUTHOR 


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

^TTFor  appreciated  assistance  in  the 
j\  publication  of  this  work  the  author 
is  indebted  to  the  following  persons: 
For  endorsement  of  its  merits  and 
urging  its  publication,  to  Mr.  C.  A. 
Bonfils,  editor  of  the  "Sunday  Post," 
a  paper  popular  by  force  of  its  worth. 
For  art  work  to  Mr.  F.  E.  Graf.  For 
valuable  suggestions  and  approval  to 
Mrs.  Adda  A.  Stanley  and  Isalene 
B.  Reed.  Also  to  my  publisher,  for 
so  neatly  dressing  up  my  thoughts  in 
the  beauties  of  the  typographic  art. 
All  of  which  are  hereby  gratefully 
acknowledged. 


CONTENTS 


Preface  .... 

Introduction       .... 
The  Story  of  a  Pioneer 
Minta  Abel,  the  Cow  Herder  Girl 


Page 

7 

II 

17 

135 


LIST  OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 

Portrait  of  the  Author         ....  Frontispiece 

Portrait  of  Col.  W.  F.  Cody  ("Buffalo  Bill")  .  .  II 

Beautiful  Nora  Norton         ......  24 

The  Cloud-burst        .  ...  .  56 

Nora  Alone  in  the  Mountains     .....  64 

"A  Feast  of  Mountain  Strawberries"  ...  72 

Nora  Returning  from  the  Brook  ....  88 


PREFACE 


HE  remarkable  events  and  circum- 
stances in  connection  with  the  excit- 
ing rush  of  1859-60  to  Pike's  Peak, 
the  only  point  then  known  and  named  near  the 
reported  rich  gold  fields  of  Colorado,  should 
be  indelibly  impressed  upon  the  minds  of 
the  people  as  a  heritage  and  memorial  of 
the  admirable  and  heroic  work  of  the  brave 
pioneers.  Their  grand  and  glorious  work  has 
won  our  gratitude  and  respect.  In  the  land  of 
the  hostile  Indian  and  the  wild  beast  he  built 
his  home,  and  risked  his  life,  his  health  and  his 
fortune  to  subdue  it  and  make  it  prolific. 

To  revive  and  preserve  in  memory  the  he- 
mic deeds  of  the  pioneer,  who  is  now  fast  pass- 
ing away,  and  to  relate  some  of  the  peculiar  oc- 
currences, and  portray  a  few  of  the  grotesque 
scenes  in  connection  therewith,  is  my  pride, 
privilege   and    purpose   in   this   narrative. 


8  PREFACE 

Never  again  will  the  same  primitive  condi- 
tions and  circumstances  be  seen  or  re-enacted 
within  the  wide  borders  of  these  United  States, 
for  the  wild  grandeur  of  the  scenes  in  this  once 
vast  desert  plain  has  been  destroyed.  The  quiet 
repose  of  beast  and  bird  has  been  disturbed, 
or  they  have  become  extinct.  The  enterprise  of 
man  and  the  railroad  have  entered  into  all  the 
wild  places  of  the  Great  West,  and  opened  them 
up  to  civilization.  The  buffalo  and  Indian  no 
longer  roam  the  plains ;  the  stately  elk  and  the 
fleet-footed  antelope  no  longer  make  a  living 
picture  against  the  pale  blue  sky;  nor  does  the 
heavy  freight  wagon  drawn  by  six  yoke  of 
oxen,  or  five  span  of  mules,  steer  its  way  over 
the  hills  and  prairies. 

No  more  is  the  long  emigrant  train  seen 
wearily  wending  its  way  over  the  hills  and 
valleys  of  the  plains ;  but  in  its  stead  the  rail- 
way locomotive  with  its  piercing  voice  and 
thundering  sound  shoots  over  it.  The  nigged 
and  attractive  scenes  of  nature  in  her  undis- 


PREFACE 


turbed  beauty  have  passed  away.  Never  again 
will  the  spirit  of  man  find  a  welcoming  echo  in 
the  wild  hills  and  the  vast,  silent  prairies,  for  it 
was  the  fate  of  the  pioneer  to  destroy  the  beauty 
that  charmed  him.  While  it  is  not  for  those 
who  come  after  him  to  see  and  feel  this  wild 
grandeur,  still  they  may  catch  a  glimpse  of  it  in 
The  Story  of  a  Pioneer. 


7C^ 


'-4*nst 


■t^uvcr 


Edaewater 

Colorado 


Beautiful  Colorado! 

The  fairest  of  the  fair, 
With  brilliant  sun 

And  crystal  air, 
And  farms,  and  mines, 

Of  richest  worth: — 
The  choicest  place 

For  homes  on  earth. 


a/a^^^^§^'' 


INTRODUCTION 

HE  conversion  of  the  plains  of  the  far 
West,  once  known  as  the  Great  Amer- 
ican Desert,  into  a  suitable  abode 
for  civilized  man  was  a  peculiarly  grand  and 
wonderful  work  for  the  brave  and  heroic  pio- 
neer. This  development  was  due,  in  a  great 
measure,  to  the  immense  immigration  which 
poured  into  the  gold  fields  of  Colorado  in  the 
spring  of  i860  and  subsequent  years.  The 
people  who  entered  into  this  expedition  boldly 
risked  life  and  all  that  was  dear  to  them  in  their 
long,  perilous  and  tedious  journey  by  wagon- 
train  over  the  arid  plains,  then  occupied  by 
savage  Indians  and  wild  beasts. 

The  thrilling  scenes  and  incidents  encoun- 
tered in  connection  with  the  peculiar  life  and 
travel  upon  the  plains  and  through  the  moun- 
tains on  that  memorable  occasion,  which  were 
experienced  by  myself  and  by  the  author  of  this 


12  INTRODUCTION 

book,  as  well,  furnish  ample  material,  when 
properly  collated  and  arranged,  for  a  highly  in- 
teresting and  pleasing  narrative. 

It  affords  me,  therefore,  much  pleasure  to 
learn  that  the  author  has  taken  upon  himself 
the  commendable  task  of  making  a  connected 
and  reliable  narrative  of  these  strange  and  won- 
derful incidents  of  the  then  wild  and  undevel- 
oped West,  of  which  I  believe  him  in  every  way 
capable,  and  whom  I  have  the  honor  to  claim 
as  my  last  and  most  efficient  instructor  in  the 
days  of  my  boyhood. 

It  seems  but  a  just  tribute  to  the  heroism  of 
these  early  pioneers  to  properly  place  upon  rec- 
ord the  striking  incidents  which  led  to  and  re- 
sulted in  the  transformation  of  the  great  desert 
region  of  the  West  into  a  veritable  Garden  of 
Eden,  dotted  with  farms,  homes,  towns  and 
cities,  where  dwell  a  prosperous  and  happy 
people,  thus  furnishing  and  transmitting  to  the 
future  historian  the  peculiar  conditions  and 
wild  surroundings  now  destroyed  by  advanc- 


INTRODUCTION  13 

ing  civilization,  and  now  no  more  to  be  seen 
by  mortal  eye,  under  which  by  the  genius  of 
man,  the  dreary  desert  was  awakened  from  its 
dead  slumber  of  centuries  by  the  inspiring 
waters  of  irrigation,  which  the  thirsty  soil  of 
the  desert  eagerly  drank,  and  lo  and  behold !  it 
bloomed  and  blossomed  as  the  rose.  The  hid- 
den treasures  of  the  mountains  were  then  also 
opened  up,  and  thus  the  desert  region  was  made 
one  of  the  richest  and  most  attractive  of  the 
earth. 

I  am  glad  to  encourage  the  author  in  his 
pleasant  rehearsal  of  these  stirring  incidents, 
so  familiar  to  both  of  us,  furnishing  as  it  does 
a  pen-picture  of  the  wonderful  transformation 
of  the  wild  waste  lands  of  the  West  into  a 
marvelously  productive  region,  supplying  all 
the  wants  and  comforts  of  civilized  man. 


^Z$f 


&~f<f~>£*  ^Qi££l' 


Cody,  Wyoming 

March,  1904 


The  Story  of  a  Pioneer 


THE  STORY  OF  A  PIONEER 


,—1  he  rush  to  the  gold    regions    of 

Colorado  in  the  spring  of  i860 
was  most  remarkable.  The 
lives  of  those  brave  pioneers, 
were  fraught  with  many  inter- 
esting incidents,  which,  if  col- 
lected, would  form  a  treasure  store,  descriptive 
of  the  conquests,  pain,  perils  and  shattered  hopes 
attending  western  pioneer  life.  It  stirs  to  ad- 
miration and  inspires  the  mind  with  noble  feel- 
ings to  contemplate  the  heroism  of  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  a  new  country  who  leave  relatives 
and  friends  and  the  dear  homes  of  their  child- 
hood to  dwell  upon  the  western  prairie — wild, 
cheerless  and  undeveloped — away  from  all  that 
is  dear  to  head  and  heart,  there  to  build  new 


l8  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

cities  and  new  homes,  and  form  new  ties  of 
friendship. 

Those  who,  at  this  period,  witnessed  these 
vast  trains  of  moving  wagons,  drawn  by  mules, 
horses,  oxen,  and  even  by  cows,  or  beheld  the 
less  fortunate  traveling  with  hand  carts  loaded 
with  "bed  and  board,"  and  footmen  with  packs 
upon  their  backs — as  motley  and  as  strange  a 
procession  as  ever  eye  beheld,  five  or  more 
miles  long — could  not  but  have  entertained 
feelings  experienced  by  these  travelers.  It  was 
a  sight  never  to  be  forgotten — this  vast  cara- 
van, moving  slowly  along  in  the  distance,  over 
hilltop  and  plain,  forming  a  dark,  curving  line 
across  the  far-reaching  green  prairie,  like  a 
monster  serpent  in  its  slow-traveling  search  for 
food. 

The  life  of  a  pioneer  is  not,  as  many  sup- 
pose, a  life  of  pleasant  adventure  and  delightful 
romance;  on  the  contrary,   it  is  one  of  stern 


THE      STORY      OF      A       I'  [  ()  N  E  E  R  1 9 

reality,  demanding  the  full  and  complete  action 
of  both  the  mental  and  physical  qualities  of  man 
— full  of  responsibility,  toil  and  care. 

Among  the  vast  number  of  people  who 
sought  gain  and  gold  in  Colorado  at  this  early 
date  there  were  but  few  families.  Many  mar- 
ried men,  it  is  true,  made  their  way  here,  but 
with  but  few  exceptions,  they  wisely  left  their 
families  behind.  The  greater  portion  were  un- 
married 'men  of  various  ages  in  search  of 
fickle  fortune's  favor. 

It  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  narrative  to  re- 
cord the  good  fortune  or  failures  of  those  num- 
berless adventurers,  nor  to  describe  the  good  re- 
sults or  benefits  to  the  now-grand  state  of  Colo- 
rado in  consequence  of  this  great  rush  to  the 
Pike's  Peak  gold  region. 

One  family,  however,  whose  neat  and  well- 
equipped  wagon  formed  one  of  this  great  train, 
was  drawn  by  two  beautiful  black  horses,  im- 


20  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

patient  under  the  enforced  restraint,  incident  to 
the  tardy  progress  of  the  slow-moving  train  of 
wagons  in  advance  of  them.  Their  wagon,  like 
the  others,  was  loaded  with  provisions,  blankets, 
cooking  utensils  and  other  requisites  of  camp 
life.  Its  occupants  consisted  of  four  persons, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Neal  Norton,  their  fair  daughter 
Nora,  and  her  uncle,  Andrew  Norton,  whom 
Nora  familiarly  termed  Uncle  "Drew." 

The  Nortons  were  intelligent,  well-to-do 
farm  people,  who  had  taken  a  claim  on  govern- 
ment land  in  western  Kansas,  but  receiving 
a  fair  offer  for  it,  sold  it,  and  being  influenced 
by  highly  colored  and  exaggerated  stories  of 
the  recent  discovery  of  rich  mines  of  gold  in 
Cherry  Creek,  they  "fixed  up"  and  joined  the 
train  bound  for  "Pike's  Peak." 

Pike's  Peak  was  then  the  only  point  named 
and  known  in  that  vast,  wild,  arid  region,  and 
though  seventy-five  miles  from    the    point    of 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  2l 

discovery  of  gold  on  Cherry  Creek — now  the 
present  site  of  Denver — yet  it  gave  a  name  for 
a  time  at  least  to  the  gold  region  of  Colorado, 
in  the  midst  of  what  was  then  described  in  the 
geographies  as  the  Great  American  Desert,  but 
which  is  now  better  known  as  western  Kansas, 
Nebraska,  Colorado,  Montana  and  Idaho.  Al- 
though it  is  a  region  with  an  insufficiency  of 
rainfall  in  summer,  it  is  not,  in  any  sense,  a 
desert,  nor  can  it  be  called  a  plain,  for  Idaho, 
Montana  and  a  part  of  Colorado  are  very  moun- 
tainous regions. 

The  trip  from  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  the 
then  frontier  town,  over  the  "plains"  to  Cherry 
Creek,  a  distance  of  about  six  hundred  miles, 
and  completed  in  six  weeks'  time,  was  a  pleasant 
one  to  the  members  of  this  great  caravan.  The 
weather  was  warm  and  pleasant,  for  it  was  in 
the  merry  months  of  May  and  June.  The  thick, 
velvety  grass  formed  on  the  almost  treeless  land- 


22-  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

scape  a  beautiful  carpet  of  brightest  green.  The 
bright  sun  poured  down  in  its  wonted  way  a 
continuous  flood  of  soft,  silvery,  sparkling 
light,  peculiar  to  this  region,  from  a  never-vary- 
ing cloudless  sky.  This,  together  with  the  clear, 
colorless  air,  always  void  of  smoke  or  fog,  gave 
to  the  whole  scene  a  weird,  electric-light-like 
tint. 

There  was  another  strange  peculiarity  of 
the  atmospheric  condition  of  the  plains  which 
occasioned  much  wonder.  There  appeared  day 
after  day  for  several  weeks,  far  in  the  distance, 
ahead  of  the  train,  dim  but  distinct  views  of 
real  forests,  sometimes  spires  and  towers  were 
also  seen  for  a  time,  then  all  would  fade  away 
to  appear  again  the  next  day,  perhaps,  like  the 
in-coming  and  out-going  scenes  of  a  magic 
lantern.  This  incomprehensible  phenomenon 
was  always  a  bewildering'  mystery,  giving 
cause  for  many  a  discussion  or  queer  explana- 


THE      STORY      OF       A       1>  I  O  N  E  K  R  23 

tion.  The  forests,  steeples  and  towers,  faded 
away  as  we  approached  them.  The  explana- 
tion of  this  interesting  illusion  is,  that  the  dry 
air,  heated  by  the  intense  sunshine  of  the  plains, 
rising  in  undulating  waves,  lifts  up,  and  spreads 
out,  and  magnifies  the  lines  of  vision  coming 
from  the  object  seen — magnified  or  distorted, 
and  thus  carried  to  the  eye  of  the  beholder. 
Thus  shapely  weeds,  not  a  foot  high,  are  by  this 
condition  of  the  atmosphere,  converted  into 
tall,  well  proportioned  trees  or  forests;  and  in 
like  manner  stumps  of  weeds  into  towers  or 
citadels,  and  tall  spears  of  grass  are  magnified 
into  pinnacles  or  steeples. 

The  few  feathered  songsters,  the  occasional 
wild  flowers,  the  absence  of  trees  and  shrub- 
bery, the  few  antelope  and  buffalo  seen — for 
they  had  receded  from  the  line  of  travel  on  the 
approach  of  man — and  the  general  absence  of 
life  all    around,    caused   a   sense  of   loneliness 


24  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

and  gloom  to  creep  into  one's  mind,  and  bring 
up  brighter  scenes  of  home  and  happy  friends 
far  away.  But  those  who  travel  by  team  and 
wagon  have  little  time  to  give  to  gloomy 
thoughts,  however  much  they  may  amuse  or  in- 
terest.    The  excitement  and   work  of  travel, 

and  the  watchfulness  necessary  in  an  Indian 
country,  leave  little  time  for  aught  else.     The 

distance  traveled  was  but  fifteen  or  twenty — 

seldom  twenty-five — miles    per  day,    so  as  to 

reach  "good  camping  ground."    That  is  to  say, 

where  there  was  grass  and  water  for  the  teams, 

and  fuel  for  the  camp  fire.    As  the  line  of  travel 

pursued  was  on  the  old  California  trail  of  '49, 

along  and  up  the  valley  of  the  Platte  river,  these 

requisites  were  always  found;  fuel    from    the 

scrubby  willows  on  its  moist  banks,  water  from 

its  channel  and  grass  along  its  borders. 

A  natural  feeling  of  loneliness  and  a  want  of 
protection  inspires  one  with  a  desire  for  com- 


Beautiful     Nora    Norton 
The  Victim  of  Misfortune     The  Queen   ol   Wealth 


NOTE.  This  illustration,  and  others 
following,  were  furnished  the  Au- 
thor by  Nora  Norton  at  a  later  dale. 
kind  hearted  girl  that  khe  was 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  25 

panionship  and  association,  hence  this  vast  train 
was  held  together  and  controlled  by  a  sort  of  in- 
fluence of  its  own.  The  action  of  the  few  was 
the  action  of  all.  As  a  swarm  of  bees  follows 
the  leader,  and  as  all  nestle  upon  the  same 
branch  she  alights  upon,  so  in  this  case  when 
the  leaders  of  the  train  turned  out  of  the  road 
toward  camping  ground,  the  others  followed 
under  a  natural  law  of  association,  each  select- 
ing a  choice  spot  upon  which  to  pitch  his  tent, 
or  stand  his  wagon,  or  upon  which  to  cast  his 
saddle  and  blankets,  and  graze  his  horse,  if  a 
horseman. 

This  done,  the  scene  then  presented  was 
grand  and  peculiar.  All  was  life  and  bustle. 
Like  children  just  out  from  school,  the  newly- 
made  camp  was  all  astir.  There  was  running 
hither  and  thither,  some  to  the  river  for  water, 
some  for  willow  brush  for  the  camp  fire,  while 
others  with  spoon,  pan  and  flour  were  prepar- 


26  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

ing  to  compound  the  historic  "slap-jack"  of 
camp  life.  For  travel  sharpens  the  appetite 
and  gives  flavor  to,  and  even  makes  delicious, 
the  plainest  sort  of  food,  so  that  meal-time  was 
a  most  important  event. 

In  a  very  short  time  the  simple  meal  is 
ready,  and  placed  on  a  blanket  or  table  linen 
spread  out  upon  the  green  grass,  around  which 
all  gather  and  seat  themselves  on  the  ground, 
after  the  fashion  and  manner  of  a  tailor,  while 
the  few  women  had  a  manner  of  their  own — 
dropping  on  their  knees,  and  making  a  seat  of 
their  dainty  feet.  All  is  gay  and  festive  now; 
pleasant  odors  of  the  recently  prepared  meal 
float  upon  the  air ;  merry  voices  ring  out,  and 
the  joyous  laugh  is  heard  throughout  the  camp. 
The  scene  presented  to  the  eye  of  a  beholder  is 
truly  magnificent ! 

A  city  of  white  canvas-covered  wagons  and 
tents,  stretched  out  along  the  river,  with  horses. 


THE       S  T  O  R  V       t)  F       A       P  1  O  X  E  E  K  £"} 

mules  and  cattle  grazing  between,  in  the  midst 
of  a  green  sea-like  prairie,  with  its  citizens  in 
this  queer  posture,  engaged  in.  taking  their 
noon-day  meal,  with  the  blue  smoke  from  the 
now  smoldering  camp  fires  lazily  ascending 
toward  a  cloudless  sky  of  purest  blue,  from 
which  poured  forth  over  all,  through  the  thin, 
colorless,  glistening  air,  a  flood  of  crystal  light 
— this  was  the  scene  presented,  and  the  manner 
of  travel  of  those  hardy  pioneers,  day  after  day, 
as  they  boastfully  paraded  in  crude  letters  on 
their  wagon  covers,  the  motto,  "Bound  for 
Pike's  Peak,"  or  "For  the  Gold  Diggings." 

To  break  the  monotony  of  travel  and  camp 
life,  field  sports,  fishing,  hunting  and  shooting 
were  frequently  resorted  to.  As  sailors  upon 
long  sea  voyages,  to  while  away  the  dullness 
of  time,  resort  to  story  telling,  so  the  travelers 
on  the  sea-like  prairie  engaged  in  song  and 
story,  as  they  squatted  in  circles  around  their 


28  THE     STORY     OF     A      PIONEER 

weak,  blazing  camp  fires.  Many  a  good  story 
was  thus  told,  and  many  a  song  was  sung. 
Mutual  dependence  and  reliance,  one  upon  the 
other,  for  aid  or  benefit,  engenders  confidence 
and  friendship  the  world  over. 

Hence  a  feeling  of  trust  and  esteem  natural- 
ly bind  frontiermen  together  forming  a  union  of 
fellowship  and  tenderness  which  is  seldom  for- 
gotten. Friendships  were  thus  formed  around 
the  camp  fires  and  on  the  road  which  endured 
as  long  and  were  as  dear  as  life  itself. 

The  Nortons,  with  their  attractive  "outfit," 
drew  around  them  many  genial  and  admiring 
friends,  who  always  camped  near  them,  and 
thus  were  in  one  sense  companions  and  neigh- 
bors. The  camp  fire  of  the  Nortons  was  gen- 
erally made  large  enough  to  enable  all  their 
friends  to  cook  their  food  over  its  flames.  On 
these  occasions  it  was  the  joy  and  delight  of 
little  Nora  to  assist  in  the  work  of  the  camp. 


THE      STORY     OF      A      PIONEER  20. 

She  brought  the  water  from  the  river,  while 
her  mother  made  ready  the  cooking  utensils  for 
the  expectant  camp-fire  meal.  Being  the  only 
child  in  that  part  of  the  long  train,  her  busy 
nature  and  lithesomeness  made  her  a  conspic- 
uous and  notable  little  personage  throughout 
the  camp.  Her  deportment  and  warm,  genial 
manner  added  much  to  her  attractiveness.  Her 
every-day  salutations  to  strangers  and  friends 
fell  from  her  lips,  wreathed  in  circles  of  smiles, 
as  readily  and  pleasantly  as  notes  from  a  sweet 
song  bird.  Her  bright,  cheerful  face  was  an 
unfailing  index  to  the  joy  and  content  which 
filled  her  mind.  Petty  crosses  and  disappoint- 
ments which  so  often  trouble  others  never 
found  their  way  through  the  sunshine  of  her 
heart.  She  was,  at  this  time,  of  stout,  rather 
short  build,  and  but  fifteen  years  of  age.  Her 
features  were  regular  and  well  formed,  her 
complexion  -neither  dark  nor  fair,  but  merged 


30  THE       STORY      OF       A       PIONEER 

into  both.  Her  hair  was  jet  black,  falling  in 
loose,  wavy  lines  to  her  shoulders.  Her  eyes, 
dark  and  sparkling,  stood  out  prominently, 
while  her  full,  red  lips,  firmly  set,  displayed 
much  self  reliance.  She  had  a  clear-cut  nose, 
somewhat  of  the  Grecian  type.-  Her  features, 
taken  as  a  whole,  were  indicative  of  fine  mental 
powers  and  great  possibilities. 

As  previously  stated,  Nora's  father  and 
mother  were  industrious,  intelligent  country 
people,  who  felt  the  necessity  of  inculcating  into 
the  minds  of  the  young  the  importance  of 
knowledge,  industry  and  business  ability,  which 
manifested  itself  in  the  characteristics  of  their 
only  daughter.  Aside  from  this  they  possessed 
no  marked  quality  in  form  or  feature  material- 
ly differing  from  many  other  respectable  men 
and  women  one  meets  in  the  every  day  walks 
of  life. 

But  Andrew  Norton — "Uncle  Drew" —  re- 


THE       STORY       OF       A       PIONEER  31 

quires  more  than  passing  notice.  As  a  child, 
he  was  self-willed  and  insubordinate,  and 
caused  his  mother,  then  a  widow,  much  trouble 
and  anxiety.  But  feeling  that  this  needful  re- 
straint was  an  abuse,  after  a  reprimand  for  a 
serious  disobedience,  he  stole  away  from  the 
home  of  his  childhood,  and  was  not  heard  from 
for  ten  long  years.  Then  a  short  letter  came 
to  his  mother  from  him  postmarked  California, 
from  which  she  gleaned  little  regarding  his 
business  or  manner  of  life.  After  ten  more 
years  of  mysterious  silence  he  returned  home 
to  see  his  old  mother,  his  total  absence  from 
home  being  twenty  years.  His  aged  and  feeble 
mother,  overjoyed  at  seeing  him,  fell  upon  his 
neck  with  sobs  and  tears.  She  could  not  con- 
trol her  troubled  heart.  She  felt  the  ingratitude 
of  her  son  in  forgetting,  for  so  many  long  years, 
his  duty  to  his  mother,  whose  affectionate  so- 
licitude for  him  in  helpless   infancy,   gave  to 


32  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

her  many  a  weary  day,  and  stole  from  her, 
many  a  much-needed  night's  rest,  and  thus,  in 
a  measure,  he  owed  her  a  vast  debt  of  gratitude, 
for  she  was  the  watchful  attendant  of  his  life, 
and  the  guardian  of  it  through  the  helplessness 
of  infancy.  While  she  felt  in  its  fullness  the 
depth  of  the  wrong  she  had  suffered,  yet,  with 
a  mother's  undying  love  for  her  offspring, 
she  rejoiced  that  she  again  beheld  her  long-lost 
son. 

The  meeting  was  of  too  exciting  a  nature 
for  her  in  her  feeble  condition,  and  in  less  than 
a  fortnight  its  effect  was  noticeable.  She 
grew  less  active  and  weaker  day  by  day,  and 
thus  gradually  she  faded  till  death  stole  in  and 
hushed  her  to  sleep — blessed  sleep,  that  closed 
the  dreamer's  eyes  to  the  ingratitude  and  base- 
ness of  this  vain  world. 

Before  her  death  Drew  learned  that  his 
brother    Neal   and    family  resided   in   western 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  33 

Kansas,  whither  he  went  in  search  of  them 
after  he  had  weepingly  followed  the  remains 
of  his  aged  mother  to  the  tomb. 

He  arrived  just  in  time  to  find  his  brother 
and  family  on  the  eve  of  leaving  their  farm, 
and  joined  them  in  their  western  journey.  He 
gave  them  much  valuable  advice  and  assistance 
in  the  selection  of  the  many  needful  things  for 
the  long  journey.  It  required  considerable 
thought  and  judgment  to  properly  load  the  wa- 
gon, which  is  a  small  affair  to  hold  the  neces- 
sary things  for  a  journey,  and  leave  room  for 
the  family  besides.  Provisions  are  of  first  im- 
portance, and  there  must  be  an  abundance. 
Clothing,  bedding,  tableware  and  cooking 
utensils,  all  must  find  a  place. 

There  was  one  incident  in  loading  the  wagon 
deserving  mention,  which  was  beneficent  in  its 
ultimate  results  to  Nora  Norton  at  least,  and 
it  proves  also  how  little  things  reach  out  into 


34  THE       STOKY      OF      A      PIONEER 

the  impenetrable  future  and  affect  our  lives  for 
good  or  evil.  In  collecting  together  the  house- 
hold goods  it  became  evident  that  the  trunks 
and  boxes  on  hand  were  insufficient  to  hold 
them.  So  Nora,  in  a  merry  mood,  said :  "I'll 
pack  my  things  in  that  ten-gallon  dairy  can." 
This  was  clone.  Her  "things"  consisted  of  a 
few  toilet  articles  and  a  limited  wardrobe. 

Dairy  cans  have  iron  bottoms,  both  to  save 
them  from  wear  and  also  to  serve,  like  the  bal- 
last in  a  ship,  to  keep  them  upright  in  a  rolling 
dairy  wagon. 

Andrew  Norton  claimed  Pike's  Peak  was  on 
his  way  home,  and  he  would,  therefore,  be  glad 
to  accompany  them  and  assist  in  their  search 
for  gold  for  a  few  weeks  at  least ;  after  which 
he  said  he  must  proceed  to  his  more  important 
business.  But  he  seemed  guarded  in  his  con- 
versation relative  to  his  business  affairs  and  oc- 
cupation.    He  appeared  to  be  possessed  of  con- 


THE       STORY      OF       A       PIONEER  35 

siderable  means,  had  plenty  of  ready  money, 
spent  it  freely,  and  seemed  content  and  happy. 
He  was  of  medium  height,  with  uncut  hair. 
Like  the  hunters  and  trappers  of  that  day,  he 
wore  a  buckskin  suit,  decorated  with  beaver 
fur,  and  a  brown  hat,  with  a  band  of  beaver 
fur.  This,  together  with  his  bronzed  face  and 
long  beard,  stamped  him  as  a  trapper  or  hunter. 

Be  this  as  it  may,  he  never  gave  any  ex- 
planation relative  to  his  odd  garb,  except  to 
say  it  was  the  fashion  of  the  people  on  the 
frontier  where  he  dwelt. 

He  was  familiar  with  western  manners, 
ways  and  methods,  and  prolific  in  frontier  stor- 
ies, with  which  he  delighted  the  camp-fire  circle, 
thus  charming  away  the  dreary  dullness  which 
so  often  gathered  around  it.  On  one  occasion, 
while  thus  engaged,  little  Nora  came  rushing 
into  camp,  which  was  in  the  vicinity  of  old  Fort 
Kearney,   on  the  Platte  river,   and  with   that 


36  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

earnest  excited  manner  peculiar  to  childhood, 
said  : 

"Oh,  father,  I  saw  some  people  asleep  in 
the  tops  of  those  cottonwood  trees  yonder!" 
pointing  to  a  clump  of  scrubby  trees. 

"Yes,"  replied  her  Uncle  Drew,  "I  guess 
they  are  in  their  last  sleep,  and  will  never 
awaken." 

"Why,  Uncle  Drew  !  What  do  you  mean  ? 
They  must  be  asleep,  because  they  are  wrapped 
snugly  in  their  blankets,  and  I  could  see  they 
were  resting  easy,  on  cross  pieces  well  secured 
to  opposite  branches." 

"That  is  doubtless  true,"  replied  her  Uncle 
Drew,  "for  I  think  what  you  describe  are  In- 
dian graves,  and  the  wrappings  you  saw  were 
the  only  shroud  and  coffin  of  the  dead." 

"Why,  how  queer,"  said  Nora  musingly. 
"To  think  that  people  would  bury  their  friends 
in  a  tree  top!" 


THE     STORV     OF     A      PIOSTEER  37 

Then  addressing  her  uncle,  she  said :  "Why 
don't  they  bury  their  dead  in  the  ground?" 

"Because,"  replied  her  uncle,  "they  have  no 
tools  with  which  to  dig  graves,  and  if  they  did, 
the  half-starved  coyotes  would  dig  them  up 
and  eat  them,  hence  they  envelope  their  dead 
in  buffalo  robes  or  blankets,  and  securely  fasten 
them  in  a  tree  top,  beyond  their  reach.  But 
out  on  the  treeless  prairie,  from  sheer  neces- 
sity, they  do  dig  a  shallow  grave  with  their 
hatchets  and  hands  and  bury  their  dead  therein, 
leaving  them  there  to  be  forever  forgotten." 

A  visit  to  the  clump  of  trees  designated  ver- 
ified the  surmises  of  Nora's  uncle,  for  several 
dead  bodies  were  seen  in  the  tree-tops  enveloped 
as  described,  and  firmly  lashed  to  the  branches 
of  the  trees  with  cords  of  rawhide.  A  well- 
lettered  notice  put  up  by  the  Indian  agent 
warned  all  persons  not  to  molest  the  graves. 
As  no   Indians   had   been   seen   up   to   this 


276423 


38  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

time,  these  graves  were  the  first  indication  that 
we  were  then  in  an  Indian  country,  and  with 
many  there  was  much  curiosity  to  see  Indians 
in  their  native  haunts,  and  to  behold  "the  noble 
red  man/'  as  described  in  works  of  fiction,  "in 
his  unadorned  beauty."  Others,  with  less  cour- 
age, shuddered  at  the  thought  of  seeing  an  In- 
dian. But  we  did  not  have  long  to  wait  to  see 
these  curious  denizens  of  the  plains,  for  the 
next  day  we  located  near  an  Indian  camp,  and 
we  were  afforded  ample  opportunity  to  observe 
the  peculiarities  of  Indian  home-life.  But  the 
glamour  which  filled  our  fancy  with  bright  and 
pleasant  thoughts  was  quickly  dispelled  on  first 
sight  of  these  dusty,  dirty  people.  Their  dress 
was  neither  neat  nor  clean.  Old,  castaway 
clothing  of  various  colors,  shapes  and  fits,  tat- 
tered and  torn,  and  blankets  and  buffalo  robes 
drawn  economically  around  them,  hid  their 
unwashed  bodies  from  sio-ht,  and  shielded  them 


THE      S  T  0  R  Y      OF      A      I'  I  O  N  E  E  R  39 

from  the  cold,  chilling  winds  of  winter  and  the 
scorching  suns  of  summer. 

It  is  true,  however,  that  chiefs  and  their 
sons,  and  other  favorites  of  the  tribe,  have  a 
gaudy  display  dress,  beaded  and  feathered,  for 
special  occasions,  but  these  are  the  exceptions 
and  not  the  rule. 

Their  cookery,  or  rather  want  of  it,  is  so  at 
variance  with  any  reasonably  conceived  idea  of 
it,  as  to  be  incredible,  except  to  those  who  have 
witnessed  it.  The  raw  flesh  of  animals  they 
cut  into  long,  narrow  strips,  and  wrap  it  in  a 
spiral  form  around  a  green,  straight  branch, 
or  stick,  and  in  its  unwashed  state  hold  it,  not 
over,  but  in,  the  blaze  of  their  camp  fires  till 
roasted.  When  cool  enough  to  do  so,  they  place 
its  end  in  the  side  of  their  mouths,  and  munch 
it  like  a  dog,  unrolling  it  by  turning  the  stick 
as  they  consume  it.  If  the  supply  of  meat  is 
limited,    they    cut   the    entrails    into    suitable 


40  THE     STORY     OF     A     PIONEER 

lengths,  pass  them  between  their  compressed 
finger  and  thumb,  to  empty  them  of  their  con- 
tents, and,  in  their  unwashed  state,  without 
more  ado,  they  wrap  them  around  the  stick 
and  proceed  to  cook  (?)  them  in  the  manner 
previously  stated.  Their  food  is  often  of  the 
most  disgusting  nature.  Grasshoppers  and 
worms,  unwashed  and  uncooked  reptiles  are 
eaten  by  them  with  a  relish  astonishing 
to  behold.  Their  reputed  skill  as  marks- 
men, and  their  reputation  for  agility  and 
strength,  all  vanish  before  the  face  of  truth. 
They  are  both  uncouth  and  clumsy,  and  the 
scene  they  present  on  horseback  is  truly  gro- 
tesque. The  highly-colored  stories  of  the  no- 
bility of  the  red  man,  and  the  gilded  character 
given  to  the  wild  Indian,  have  no  foundation  in 
fact,  existing  only  in  the  fancy  of  the  writers 
of  fiction,  who  use  them  to  adorn  their  tales. 
When  the  train  arrived  in  the  vicinity  of 


THE     STORY     OF     A     PIONEER  4I 

Julesburg — then  but  a  stage  station — a  highly 
exciting  incident  occurred.  The  train  had 
camped  for  the  day  near  some  trains  enroute 
for  Salt  Lake  City  with  supplies.  All  was  quiet 
in  camp.  The  noonday  meal  was  past.  Some 
were  telling  stories,  some  repairing  harness  or 
washing  clothes;  others  were  asleep  or  rest- 
ing in  the  shadow  of  their  wagons.  All  of 
a  sudden  a  monster  buffalo,  lost  from  his  herd, 
came  prancing  toward  and  into  camp,  his  long, 
massive  mane,  covering  shoulders,  neck  and 
forehead,  undulated  at  every  step  as  he  ad- 
vanced. The  alarm  was  given  by  someone  as 
he  approached,  and  in  an  instant  guns,  revolvers 
and  even  knives  were  gotten  out,  and  the  camp 
was  soon  filled  with  excitement  and  confus- 
ion. Shooting  at  the  animal  began  from  every 
direction,  but  he  was  neither  killed  nor  turned 
from  his  course,  for  his  heavy  mane  was  to  him 
a  protecting  shield. 


4-'  THE       STORY       OK       A       \'  I  O  X  E  E  R 

He  was  soon  in  the  midst  of  camp,  when 
the  most  intense  excitement  prevailed,  and  the 
most  reckless  and  dangerous  shooting  was  en- 
gaged in,  for  as  the  people  gathered  in  a  circle 
around  the  beast,  the  balls  missing  him  would 
strike  the  opposite  side  of  the  circle.  Fortun- 
ately, none  were  hurt,  but  the  buffalo,  mad- 
dened by  the  flesh  wounds  he  had  received, 
dashed  furiously  through  the  camp,  trampling 
over  tin  pans,  kettles  and  other  camp  utensils, 
and  scattering  the  frightened  people  in  every 
direction.  He  started  off  toward  the  river  in  a 
loping  run,  from  which  Nora  Norton  was  then 
seen  to  be  returning. 

Maddened  and  crazed  with  pain  as  he  then 
was,  all  felt  that  poor  Nora  was  doomed, 
and  a  piteous  cry  wras  heard  throughout 
the  camp,  as  her  perilous  position  was  real- 
ized. Her  mother  fainted  from  fright,  while 
her   father   and   uncle  cried    aloud   in    deepest 


THE      STORY      OF      A      P  I  O  M  E  E  R  43 

agony.  As  nearer  and  nearer  the  enraged  ani- 
mal approached  her  the  suspense  and  excite- 
ment became  almost  unendurable,  for  the  fero- 
cious beast  was  then,  it  seemed,  but  a  few  rods 
from  her.  But  just  at  this  exciting  moment,  a 
well-grown  boy  with  gun  in  hand  was  seen  go- 
ing toward  Nora  in  a  rapid  run.  Hope  filled 
the  hearts  of  all  for  a  moment,  but  it  was  soon 
to  be  dispelled,  for  the  young  man  was  not  an 
instant  by  her  side  before  he  was  seen  to  run 
as  rapidly  away  to  the  right  of  the  line  pur- 
sued by  the  beast.  Then  suddenly  wheeling 
round,  he  raised  his  gun  to  his  shoulder  with 
the  skill  of  a  trained  marksman  and  fired,  and 
the  monster  beast  fell  dead,  pierced  to  the  heart 
by  a  bullet. 

Nora  stood  motionless,  for  she  had  become 
paralyzed  with  fright  when  she  realized  her 
danger.  A  joyous  shout  now  filled  the  air,  and 
a  rush  of  the  people  of  the  camp  was  made 


44  THE      STORV     OF     A      PIONEER 

toward  Nora  and  her  benefactor.  Congratu- 
lations were  then  bestowed  upon  Nora  for  her 
wonderful  escape  from  so  terrible  a  death,  while 
upon  her  rescuer  were  showered  praise  and 
thanks  in  no  unstinted  measure.  He  was 
so  modest  that  the  praise  bestowed  upon  him 
for  this  heroic  act  overwhelmed  him  with  con- 
fusion. He  explained  that  he  receded  from 
the  side  of  Nora  to  take  aim  at  the  heart  of  the 
beast,  well  knowing  that  a  bullet  could  never 
reach  his  brain  through  nature's  shield — his 
mane-covered  head. 

His  firm,  positive  method  of  speaking,  to- 
gether with  his  noble  bearing,  attracted  marked 
attention,  and  indicated  one  capable  of  great 
possibilities.  The  young  man  was  then  known 
as  Bill  Cody,  now  better  known  as  Colonel 
William  F.  Cody,  the  world  famous  "Buf- 
falo Bill,"  and  an  old-time  friend  and  pupil  of 
the  writer. 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  45 

At  this  time  Colonel  Cody  was  a  lithe,  slen- 
der boy  in  his  teens,  and  then  manifested  many 
of  the  characteristics  which  lead  him  later  on 
to  accomplish  a  notoriety  attained  by  few.  His 
education  was  limited  to  "the  three  R's,  read- 
ing, 'riting  and  'rithmetic,"  a  trio  of  potent 
factors,  which  has  enabled  many  to  fill  hon- 
ored and  lucrative  places  in  both  private  and 
public  life.  As  a  pupil  under  the  author's 
tutelage  in  a  country  schoolhouse,  near  Leav- 
enworth City,  Kansas,  his  bearing  was  upright 
and  stately,  his  movements  quick  and  ab- 
rupt, his  language  decisive  and  author- 
itive.  While  he  loved  pleasure  and  play,  he 
was  not  rompish,  nor  rude,  his  manners  being 
modest,  dignified  and  quiet.  His  deportment 
was  beyond  reproach.  Collateral  to  this,  his 
judgment  and  opinions,  even  as  a  boy,  were 
generally  good,  quickly  formed,  and  determ- 
inedly carried  out.     Illustrative  of  this,  and  to 


46  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

show  the  animus  of  his  mind,  the  author  will 
relate  this  incident.  One  day  in  the  noon-day 
ball  game  he  shouted  to  his  comrade :  "Don't 
be  all  day  getting  ready  to  strike,  but  strike, 
and  strike  to  hit."  This  was  so  much  like  the 
noted  declaration  of  Shakespeare,  "Don't  stand 
on  the  order  of  going  but  go,"  that  the  author 
never  forgot  it.  These  striking  characteristics 
of  his  nature  gave  him  pre-eminence  in  exe- 
cutive ability  and  enabled  him  to  triumphantly 
carry  out  his  undertakings  to  successful  frui- 
tion, thus  making  himself  famous  the  world 
over. 

At  this  time,  although  but  15  years  old,  he 
was  making  his  second  trip  across  the  plains  as 
an  ox  teamster  of  one  of  the  freight  trains 
camped  near  by,  and  was  returning  from  a 
hunt  when  he  appeared  in  the  scene  just  de- 
scribed. The  Nortons  now  seemed  transported 
into  a  new  life,  as  it  were,  of  joy  and  delight. 


THE      STORY      OK      A      PIONEER  47 

by  the  happy  termination  of  this  perilous  inci- 
dent. An  enlarged  feeling  of  kindness  and 
good  will,  now  seemed  to  have  entered  and 
taken  possession  of  their  hearts,  for  they  now 
felt  that  God  reigns  in  the  hearts  of  men  and 
that  there  should  exist  a  feeling  of  benevolence 
and  good  will  from  one  to  another.  Hence 
they  were  observed  to  have  become  more  cheer- 
ful.  friendly  and  pleasant. 

Bill  Cody  and  his  chum,  Enoch  Allen,  a 
genteel  young  man  of  twenty-one  years,  were 
never  so  welcome  as  now  to  a  seat  beside  the 
camp  fire  or  to  a  Sunday  dinner  with  the  Nor- 
tons. 

But  the  tedious  journey  was  soon  to  end  ;  the 
destination  would  be  reached  in  a  few  days.  A 
cut-off  road  to  the  gold  diggings  on  Cherry 
Creek  was  now  to  be  taken.  Bill  Cody  and 
Enoch  Allen  visited  the  Nortons  to  bid  them 
good-bye,  for  at  this  point  they  must  take  an- 


48  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

other  route,  their  destination  being  Salt  Lake 
City.  To  the  Nortons  the  parting  was  an  af- 
fecting one,  and  so  far  as  is  known  to  the  writer 
it  was  the  last  meeting  between  Bill  Cody  and 
Nora  Norton. 

The  next  week  the  train  reached  Cherry 
Creek,  where  the  first  gold  had  been  washed 
out  of  its  sands.  Upon  the  banks  of  the  stream 
a  dozen  or  more  mud  huts  had  already  been 
built.  To  the  travel-worn  people  of  the  train 
the  prospect  for  a  home  or  fortune  was  a  sad 
one.  Gold  was  found  in  but  limited  quantities, 
and  in  but  few  places  in  the  sand  drifts  in  the 
channel  of  the  creek.  In  no  instance  was  the 
gold  sufficient  to  pay  for  washing  it  out  of  the 
vast  quantity  of  sand  in  which  it  was  found. 
The  ground  was  dry  and  sandy  and  almost 
destitute  of  vegetation. 

General  gloom  and  disappointment  spread 
through  the  camp ;  some  denounced  the  reports 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  49 

as  lies,  and  the  reporters  as  liars  and  villians; 
some  swore,  others  prepared  with  curses  on 
their  lips  to  return  the  next  day.  But  the  major 
portion  of  the  people  of  the  train  scattered 
out  and  camped  along  the  clear  streams  of  wa- 
ter in  the  vicinity,  both  to  rest  themselves  and 
to  look  over  the  country.  There  was  no  general 
method  of  doing;  each  one  followed  his  own 
inclination  in  this  matter.  Some  who  had 
gone  into  the  mountains  returned  for  supplies 
and  gave  encouraging  reports  of  gold  discov- 
eries, exhibiting  as  proof  small  nuggets  of  gold, 
while  others  showed  fine  or  grain  gold  in 
quills,  which  formed  convenient  tubular  bottles. 
This  revived  the  drooping  spirits  of  many  and 
renewed  their  hopes.  The  Nortons,  after  a 
two  weeks'  rest,  determined  to  go  into  the 
mountains  on  a  prospecting  tour.  They  had 
learned,  however,  from  members  of  the  train, 
that  their  friend,  Enoch  Allen,  had  abandoned 


50  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

his  purpose  of  going  to  Salt  Lake  City  as  a 
teamster  and  instead  had  bought  a  good  outfit, 
and  with  an  old  friend  for  a  companion  had 
started  into  the  mountains  to  prospect  for  gold. 
The  usual  outfit  for  these  excursions  into  the 
mountains  was  a  saddle  horse  and  one  or  two 
pack  animals,  mules  or  donkeys,  for  transport- 
ing the  provisions  and  camp  fixtures.  Had  the 
Nortons  gone  into  the  mountains  with  an  outfit 
of  this  sort,  instead  of  a  team  and  wagon,  their 
sad  misfortune  would,  perhaps,  never  have  oc- 
curred, nor  would  this  sad  story  ever  have  been 
told.  But  true  it  is,  that  the  misfortunes  of  life 
are  seldom  foreshadowed,  and,  therefore,  fall 
upon  us  when  least  expected. 

The  camp  on  Cherry  Creek  had  now,  after 
a  fortnight,  become  much  reduced.  But  few 
wagons  and  tents  were  now  visible  where  doz- 
ens had  been  seen  but  a  short  time  before.  The 
Nortons  now  began  their  journey  to  the  moun- 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  51 

tains,  but  a  few  hours'  travel  distant.  They 
soon  reached  the  foothills  which,  figuratively 
speaking-,  are  the  baby  mountains  of  the  great 
Rocky  Mountain  range.  Little  Nora,  and  even 
her  father,  mother  and  uncle,  were  delighted 
with  the  grand  scene  now  presented  to  view. 
Mountains  of  incomprehensible  magnitude  and 
height  reached  to  the  clouds.  The  solid  gran- 
ite rock,  seamed,  wrinkled  and  weather  beaten, 
with  sides  cracked  and  torn  asunder  by  the 
eruptive  powers  of  the  intense  frost  and  cold  of 
many  winters,  and  the  suns  of  many  summers, 
adorned  as  they  were  with  patches  of  green 
grass  and  clumps  of  bushes,  vines  and  trees, 
the  contemplation  of  which  filled  their  minds 
with  wonder. 

The  varied  nature  of  the  mountain  scenery, 
its  snow-capped  peaks,  water-cut  channels,  and 
crystal  springs  and  streams,  its  evergreen  for- 
ests and  fragrant  flowers,  caused  Nora,  in  an 


52  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

ecstacy  of  joy,  to  exclaim :  "Oh,  father,  camp 
here  for  a  week,  for  everything  is  so  pretty." 

Her  father  replied :  "Daughter,  dear,  we 
will  have  these  pretty  things,  I  hope,  all 
through  the  mountains." 

They  continued  their  journey  into  the 
mountains,  passing  through  Golden  Gate,  and 
following  the  gulch  which  has  now  become 
the  road  to  Central  City.  Their  progress  was 
necessarily  slow,  for,  though  there  was  a  vis- 
ible trail  made  by  horsemen  and  pack  animals, 
no  wagon  as  yet  had  passed  over  it.  Often  they 
were  obliged  to  cut  away  brush  or  small  trees 
in  order  to  pass,  or  to  dig  away  the  banks  of 
small  streams  to  pass  their  wagon  through 
them.  Hence  they  traveled  but  a  few  miles  a 
day. 

As  they  advanced,  the  sides  of  the  mountains 
bore  evidence  of  the  work  of  some  mysterious 
and  powerful  force.     Trees  were  seen  raggedly 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  53 

cut  into,  or  cut  off,  as  if  by  a  canon  ball.  Upon 
closer  investigation  it  was  discovered  that  this 
was  the  work  of  immense  rocks,  which,  loosened 
by  frost,  slid  from  their  bases  and  rolled  down 
the  precipitous  mountain  side  with  a  velocity 
and  force  which  destroyed  everything  in  their 
way. 

Another  striking  phenomenon  peculiar  to 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  showing  the  terrible 
power  of  the  elements,  is  the  heavy,  almost 
pouring  rains,  termed  by  mountaineers,  "cloud- 
bursts." The  rain  descends  with  such  rapidity 
as  to  form,  during  its  continuance,  a  sheet  of 
water  an  inch  or  more  deep  over  the  moun- 
tain sides  and  hilltops,  which  rapidly  flows  into 
the  mountain  streams  and  gulches,  filling  them 
with  turbulent,  madly  rushing  waters,  often  five 
or  six  feet  deep;  thus  forming  a  dangerous  and 
death-dealing  instrument  to  every  living  thing 
in  its  way. 


54  THE       STORY       OF       A       PIONEER 

As  our  travelers  penetrated  further  into  the 
higher  and  moister  regions  of  the  mountains, 
vegetation  became  more  rank  and  the  under- 
brush and  trees  more  abundant,  which  material- 
ly interfered  with  their  progress.  The  trail 
now  led  over  a  low,  smooth  mountain  into  a 
long,  deep  gulch,  which  they  concluded  to 
enter.  After  following'  this  trail  for  a  day 
they  became  aware  that  they  were  going  astray, 
as  indicated  by  their  pocket  compass,  but  they 
decided  to  continue  in  the  same  course. 

In  the  morning  of  the  next  day  "Uncle 
Drew,"  who  was  a  good  marksman,  shouldered 
his  gun  and  went  in  pursuit  of  some  deer  seen 
on  the  mountain  side,  saying  that  he  would  keep 
along  the  top  of  the  mountain,  in  sight  of  the 
wagon.  But,  alas,  how  often  do  our  wisest 
plans  and  fondest  hopes  fail !  He  soon  came 
within  gunshot  of  the  deer,  but  only  succeeded 
in  crippling  one ;  for  it  soon  ran  away,  marking 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  55 

its  path  with  blood.  He  reloaded  his  gun  and 
quickly  followed  the  wounded  animal,  to  get 
another  shot,  but  as  he  passed  near  a  clump  of 
bushes,  he  was  met  face  to  face  with  a  large  she- 
bear  and  her  young  cubs.  With  a  warning, 
hissing  grunt  she  instantly  sprang  toward  him. 
Standing  on  her  hind  legs,  she  made  a  circling 
stroke  with  her  right  paw,  striking  him  on  the 
left  arm,  knocking  the  half-elevated  gun  from 
his  hands.  The  force  of  her  blow  was  sufficient 
to  knock  him  down,  her  sharp  claws  cutting  and 
lacerating  his  arm  and  breast  badly.  She  then 
seized  him  by  the  foot,  biting  through  his  boot 
and  sinking  her  teeth  deeply  into  his  flesh.  He 
tried  to  regain  his  feet,  but  could  not,  nor  could 
he  reach  his  gun,  for  she  held  his  foot  in  a  vise- 
like grip  between  her  jaws. 

Her  cubs,  now  missing  their  mother,  made 
a  piteous  call.  Quickly  releasing  her  hold  she 
ran  to  them,  but  in  a  moment  turned  to  renew 


56  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

the  attack.  Drew  had  seized  his  gun  in  the  in- 
terval and  was  now  ready  to  receive  her.  Tak- 
ing deliberate  aim,  he  fired,  and  the  huge  ani- 
mal lay  at  his  feet  in  the  throes  of  death.  The 
cubs,  on  hearing  the  report  of  the  gun,  took 
fright  and  fled. 

Weakened  from  pain  and  loss  of  blood,  and 
unable  to  walk,  Drew  crept  into  the  shade  of  a 
tree,  out  of  the  warm  July  sun,  where  he  lay  in 
an  almost  senseless  state  till  the  morning  of  the 
next  day.  Within  an  hour  after  Drew  had  left 
his  brother  and  family,  a  dark,  threatening 
cloud  was  seen  to  the  right  of  the  gulch  in 
which  they  were  traveling,  clearly  indicating, 
by  the  loud  thunder  and  the  bright  flashes  of 
lightning  darting  among  the  clouds,  that  a  ter- 
rible rain  or  "cloud-burst"  was  imminent,  al- 
though the  sun  was  still  shining  brightly  in  the 
gulch,  and  all  about  was  peace  and  quiet.  Hence 
they  felt  no  apprehension  of  danger,  for  Drew 


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THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  57 

had  gone  away  in  the  opposite  direction,  and 
all  was  pleasant,  with  sweet  singing  birds  in 
the  trees  and  bright  colored  flowers  in  bloom  all 
around. 

"Oh,  mother,"  said  Nora,  "let  me  get  out  of 
the  wagon  and  gather  some  of  those  blue 
flowers." 

Her  mother  assenting,  she  was  assisted  to 
alight  and  began  ascending  the  mountain  upon 
which  the  flowers  grew. 

Her  father  drove  the  wagon  quite  slowly  up 
the  narrow  gulch  in  order  to  enable  her  the 
sooner  to  overtake  them.  They  had  proceeded 
scarcely  forty  rods  after  Nora  left  them,  when 
the  still  narrow  gulch  made  a  sharp  turn  round 
the  corner  of  a  high  mountain. 

Having  made  this  turn,  Nora  and  her  par- 
ents were  in  such  a  position,  with  respect  to  the 
now  intervening  mountain,  as  to  be  entirely  out 
of  sight  of  each  other.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Norton 


58  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

now  heard  a  loud  noise,  seemingly  a  short 
distance  from  them  up  the  gulch,  like  the  crack- 
ing of  brush  and  timber,  and  a  dull,  roaring 
sound  like  the  rushing  of  a  great  river.  They 
had  no  time  for  reflection,  nor  for  action,  for  in 
an  instant  they  saw,  but  a  few  rods  before 
them,  a  sight  which  appalled  them.  The  gulch 
had  received  the  collected  waters  of  the  heavy 
rain  or  "cloud-burst"  previously  mentioned, 
and  it  was  rushing  rapidly  down  the  steep 
gulch,  four  or  five  feet  high,  pushing  rocks, 
logs  and  brush  before  it.  Pent  up  by  the  re- 
sistance of  this  debris,  and  checked  in  its  prog- 
ress, it  would  raise  itself  still  higher,  break- 
through it  and  fall  forward  like  a  tumbling 
wall,  on  whatever  it  met  in  its  way. 

Thus  rolling  and  sweeping,  with  a  roaring 
sound  it  came  upon  these  unfortunate  people 
like  a  mighty  ocean  wave.  Hemmed  in  on  both 
sides  by  steep    mountains,    escape     was     im- 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  5Q 

possible.  The  avalanche  of  debris  and  water 
was  now  nearly  upon  them.  The  horses  took 
fright,  and  becoming  unmanageable,  turned 
suddenly  around,  upsetting  the  wagon  with  its 
occupants.  The  horses  fell,  one  upon  the  other, 
a  cry  of  distress  was  heard  from  Nora's  par- 
ents, and  in  another  instant  the  deep  cruel  waters 
swept  over  all,  burying  them  from  sight  for- 
ever. 

Nora,  still  busily  gathering  flowers,  knew 
nothing  of  the  terrible  death  which  her  parents 
had  met,  so  near  to  her,  that  but  for  the  pity- 
ing arm  of  the  mountain  which  intervened  and 
hid  them  from  her  view  she  must  have  wit- 
nessed their  tragic  end. 

From  her  position  on  the  mountain  side  she 
heard  the  terrific  roar  of  the  water,  and  saw  it 
rushing  violently,  in  immense  volumes,  down 
the  gulch  below. 

Seeing  this  immense  stream  of  water,  com- 


60  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

ing  from  whence  she  could  not  tell,  on  so  clear 
a  day,  she  became  alarmed,  and  ran  up  the  gulch 
to  find  her  father  and  mother  whom,  alas,  she 
would  never  see  again.  She  could  advance  but 
a  short  distance,  for  the  mountain  sides,  in 
places,  were  nearly  perpendicular,  and  the 
gulch  was  full,  from  side  to  side,  with  the  rush- 
ing water.  Filled  with  dread  and  anxiety,  she 
sat  down  on  a  rock  and  wept,  for  she  now 
feared  the  worst. 

She  thus  sat,  distressed  by  uncertainty  and 
fear  for  some  time,  a  melancholy  object  of 
pity,  overwhelmed  by  the  trouble  which  op- 
pressed her  heart.  Arousing  herself,  however, 
from  the  stupor  into  which  she  had  been  cast 
by  the  fearful  circumstances  surrounding 
her,  she  observed  that  the  water  in  the 
gulch  was  growing  less,  and  it  continued 
to  decrease,  till  in  another  hour,  it  had  dwin- 
dled down  to  a  small  stream.     Nora  then  re- 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  6l 

sumed  her  search  for  her  parents,  but  had  not 
gone  far  when  the  gulch  narrowed  and  pre- 
sented such  steep,  precipitous  falls,  and  was  so 
full  of  huge  scattered  rocks  that  she  knew  no 
one  could  pass  them.  Then  her  heart  sank  with- 
in her;  but  she  continued  her  search,  hoping 
against  fate.  She  noted  the  changed  condition 
of  the  gulch.  The  water  had  dug  away  the 
earth  in  one  place,  and  formed  new  banks  of 
sand  and  earth  in  another;  had  filled  up  hol- 
lows and  cut  away  ridges.  Excitedly  she  ran 
up  and  down  the  gulch,  shouting  for  her  father, 
mother  and  her  Uncle  Drew  in  agonized  tones 
of  grief  and  despair. 

Less  than  half  a  mile  below  where  she  had 
collected  the  flowers,  she  made  a  discovery 
which  overwhelmed  her  with  grief.  She  found 
remnants  of  her  father's  harness,  a  wheel  of 
his  wagon  and  a  blanket  lodged  in  the  bushes 
and  trees  in  the  gulch.     She  also  found  the 


62  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

dairy  can  containing  her  wardrobe  and  toilet 

articles  which  was  strangely  caught,  and  held 
by  the  broken  limb  of  a  tree,  which  was  run 

through  its  handle.  It  rode  upon  the  turbulent 
waters  like  a  boat,  owing  to  its  iron  ballasted 
bottom. 

Listlessly,  after  examining  it  and  finding  her 
clothes  dry,  she  hid  it,  scarcely  knowing  why, 
in  the  cavity  of  a  mountain.  In  a  further  and 
more  critical  search  of  the  gulch,  she  discov- 
ered the  feet  of  one  of  the  horses  protruding 
from  a  newly  formed  bank  of  sand,  the  body 
evidently  having  been  covered  over  in  its  for- 
mation. Remnants  of  the  wagon  were  in  like 
manner  found  projecting  from  another  bank  of 
sand,  but  nowhere  did  she  find  any  evidence  of 
the  position  of  the  bodies  of  her  lost  father  or 
mother. 

When  knowledge  of  the  death  of  her  par- 
ents was  thus  made  apparent  to  her,  a  sense 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  63 

of  the  utter  helplessness  of  her  situation  flashed 
upon  her,  and  she  was  overcome  by  a  violet 
fit  of  grief  from  which  she  could  hardly  free 
herself. 

But  the  buoyant  spirit  and  the  cheerful  na- 
ture of  childhood  is  ever  a  comforting  boon  in 
the  distress  and  helplessness  of  early  life,  and 
soothes  the  heart  in  trouble,  and  brings  rest 
to  the  mind.  So  in  this  case  Nora's  mind, 
after  an  hour  of  deepest  grief  and  gloom,  found 
quiet  and  repose,  for  new  hope  brightened  up 
her  mind  with  cheering  words  of  promise. 

The  sun  was  now  descending  in  the  west; 
the  tall  pines  on  the  mountain  tops  and  slopes 
were  casting  long,  dark  shadows  over  the  moun- 
tain sides ;  waning  day  was  bringing  on  the 
night  which  would  close  the  saddest  and  most 
eventful  day  of  Nora's  life. 

She  climbed  upon  a  huge  granite  rock,  which 
seemed  to  offer  her  some  safety  for  the  night. 


64  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

Standing  there,  and  looking  around  anxiously, 
in  the  purity  and  innocence  of  childhood,  with 
the  birds  singing  their  plaintive  twilight  song, 
and  the  gentle  evening  breeze  sighing  through 
the  forest  a  sad  sort  of  whispered  prayer,  she 
seemed  more  like  one  of  the  happy  and  blessed 
ones  above  than  the  sad  and  sorrowing  ones 
of  earth. 

Feeling  her  helplessness  now  in  this  her 
time  of  great  need,  realizing  the  grandeur  and 
incomprehensible  immensity  of  the  mountains 
as  contrasted  with  herself,  and  inspired  with 
a  feeling  of  reverence  for  Him  who  created 
these  wondrous  hills  and  mountains,  she 
dropped  upon  her  knees,  and  seemingly  in  res- 
ignation to  the  chastening  power  of  the  Divine 
will  raised  her  hands  imploringly  to  heaven, 
and  in  prayer,  besought  God  to  look  down 
upon  her  in  mercy;  to  deliver  her  from  the 
terrors  and  dangers  which    surrounded    her; 


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THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  65 

prayed  to  Him  to  guide  and  protect  her  Uncle 
Drew  from  misfortune  and  death,  and  to  di- 
rect his  footsteps  to  her  side;  and  that  others 
be  mercifully  protected  from  the  sorrows,  and 
misfortunes  which  she  that  day  had  suffered. 
Then  she  lay  down  upon  the  rock,  resigning 
herself  to  the  bitter  circumstances  which  con- 
trolled her,  and  which  she  could  not  alter.  She 
soon  fell  into  a  quiet  slumber.  Exhausted  na- 
ture brought  to  her  weakened  frame  the  re- 
freshing sleep  she  so  much  needed. 

It  should  be  stated  in  connection  herewith, 
for  the  information  of  those  not  acquainted 
with  the  peculiar  atmospheric  conditions  of  the 
Rocky  Mountain  region,  that  the  frequency, 
and  the  destructive  violence  of  floods  of  this 
sort  have  been  much  increased  since  its  inva- 
sion by  civilized  man.  For  the  Indian  in  his 
wisdom — grudgingly  granted  him — was  a 
conservator  of  the   mountain   forests  and    of 


66  THE       STORY      OF      A       PIONEER 

nature  in  its  primitive  beauty.  But  the  white 
man  on  the  contrary  with  his  wanton,  wasteful 
forest  fires,  with  the  woodman's  and  lumber- 
man's axe  has  almost  completely  shorn  the 
mountains  of  their  beautiful  evergreen  forests 
and  many  of  their  shrubs  and  flowers,  thus 
leaving  the  ragged  rocks  bare,  and  grinning  as 
it  were,  in  mockery  of  this  senseless  work  of 
destruction. 

Seemingly,  in  chastening  retaliation  for  this, 
and  as  if  angered  at  the  disturbance  of  their 
quiet  solitude  and  repose,  the  mountains  now 
hurl  down  their  denuded  sides  and  through 
their  gulches,  with  increased  violence  and 
force,  the  outpour  from  the  heavy  water-laden 
clouds,  unrestrained  in  its  flow  by  neither 
bush,  tree  nor  shrub,  into  the  gulches  below, 
thus  forming  in  them  immense  rivers  of  water 
which  rush  down  their  steep,  descending  chan- 


THE       STORY      OF      A       PIONEER  67 

nels  with  indescribable  fury  and  force,  most 
terrifying  to  behold. 

One  of  the  most  horrible  of  these  floods, 
evidently  largely  augmented  by  these  causes, 
occurred  on  the  evening  of  July  4,  1896,  at 
Morrison,  in  this  state,  extending  north  to 
Golden. 

At  this  time  of  the  year  the  mountains  are 
filled  with  people  from  the  cities  who,  with 
their  children,  are  taking  relief  from  the  heat 
in  the  cool  breezes  of  the  mountains.  On,  and 
along  the  banks  of  Bear  Creek,  above  Morri- 
son, has  always  been  a  favorite  resort  for  pleas- 
ure seeking  outing  parties.  Upon  these  un- 
warned, helpless  people  in  the  darkness  of 
midnierht,  without  a  moment's  notice,  came  one 
of  these  floods,  roaring  like  distant  thunder, 
with  a  crack  of  breaking  trees,  and  rumbling 
rocks.  In  a  moment  the  flood,  a  rapidly  ad- 
vancing wall  of  water,  boulders  and  drift-wood, 


68  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

was  upon  them,  carrying  their  summer  dwel- 
lings and  tents  along,  and  crushing  them  like 
an  egg  shell.  Many  people  sleeping  in  their 
beds  were  enveloped  in  its  pitiless  embrace,  its 
titanic  power  crushing  them  down  to  the  earth 
and  burying  them  beneath  its  irresistible  ad- 
vance. It  would  be  futile  to  attempt  to  de- 
scribe in  detail  the  horrors  and  frightful  de- 
struction of  this  terriffic  flood.  Furthermore 
it  would  not  be  pleasing,  because  the  horrors  of 
a  disastrous  death  awakens  sympathy  and 
brings  sadness  and  sorrow  to  the  heart. 

Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  wall  of  water,  re- 
tarded and  held  upward  by  timber,  driftwood 
and  brush,  came  rushing  down  the  gulch  more 
than  ten  feet  high,  tearing  trees  out  of  the 
earth,  carrying  away  with  it  houses,  barns  and 
bridges,  ploughing  out  great  channels  for  it- 
self and  destroying  everything  in  its  path.  A 
few  escaped,   some  in   a   miraculous   manner. 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  69 

Little  Irene  Proctor  was  lifted  into  the  air  by 
a  saving  bush  and  thus  held  till  her  cries  at- 
tracted heroic  rescuers.  Another  saved  his  life 
by  catching  hold  of  a  tree  top  and  climbing  to 
safety.  In  all  twenty-five  people  lost  their  lives 
at  Morrison  on  this  occasion,  mostly  business 
and  professional  people  from  Denver.  The 
two  accomplished  daughters  of  J.  W.  Horner, 
a  Denver  attorney,  lost  their  lives  in  Mt.  Ver- 
non gulch,  near,  but  north  of  Bear  Creek.  It 
required  the  combined  labor  of  one  hundred 
and  seventy  men  and  fifty  horse  teams  for 
many  days  to  repair  the  roads  and  bridges 
destroyed  at  Morrison  by  this  awful  flood. 

The  next  morning  the  rising  sun,  shining  in 
Nora's  face,  awoke  her  to  a  realization  of  her 
friendless  condition,  in  a  wild  and  unexplored 
mountain  region.  But  feeling  the  pangs  of 
hunger,  and  inspired  by  a  spirit  of  determina- 
tion and  heroism,  which  the  necessities  of  her 


70  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

pitiable  condition  demanded,  with  a  whispered 
prayer  she  firmly  resolved  to  quit  forever  the 
sad  scenes  which  surrounded  her,  and,  if  possi- 
ble, find  protection  and  friends.  Taking  the 
soiled  blanket  on  her  arm,  excitedly,  she  started 
over  the  mountains,  more  in  a  run  than  a  walk. 
Whence  she  knew  not.  Over  tumbled,  disor- 
dered piles  of  loose  rock,  through  thickets  of 
underbrush  and  dense  pine  forests  she  went, 
sometimes  walking,  sometimes  running  and 
panting  like  a  frightened  fawn,  till  from  sheer 
exhaustion  she  was  obliged  to  proceed  more 
slowly. 

Coming  into  a  small  opening  in  the  forest, 
in  a  deep  gulch  of  the  mountains,  she  was  de- 
lighted beyond  expression,  for  upon  the  ground 
before  her  she  beheld  a  feast  of  beautiful  red 
mountain  strawberries,  of  which  she  eagerly 
partook,  and  which  gave  her  increased  strength 
to  continue  her  journey.     She  traveled  up  this 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  ?I 

gulch  for  many  miles,  and  at  last  was  rewarded 
by  a  discovery  which  made  her  heart  leap  with 
joy.  For  she  found  blazed  trees,  the  wood- 
man's mark  of  a  pathway  in  the  forest,  and 
other  evidences  of  white  men's  work,  for  the 
Indians,  then  also  roamed  the  mountains. 

She  was  assured  by  these  and  other  evi- 
dences that  she  was  really  on  a  trail  made  by 
people  of  her  own  race. 

Increased  hope  and  anxiety  lightened  her 
steps,  and  she  hastily  followed  the  course  of 
the  blazed  line  of  the  winding  trail.  At  last 
she  beheld  with  delight  a  miner's  rude  habita- 
tion or  cave.  It  was  situated  in  the  mountains, 
as  near  as  can  be  now  ascertained,  in  the  for- 
est somewhere  on  Bear  Creek  above  Evergreen, 
southwest  of  Bergen  Park.  It  was  an  ex- 
cavation in  the  mountain  side,  built  up  with 
round  logs.  The  roof  consisted  of  small  poles 
covered  with  pine  boughs,  which  in  turn  were 


72  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

covered  with  earth.  The  back  part  of  the  cave 
was  thus  no  higher  than  the  side  of  the  moun- 
tain at  that  point  against  which  it  was  built. 
(This  circumstance  occasioned  a  strange  inci- 
dent, to  be  related  hereafter.)  The  door  was 
peculiar.  To  explain  this  queer  door,  more 
clearly,  it  should  be  stated  that  in  cutting  out 
the  logs  for  the  door  they  were  sawed  off  with 
a  double  bevel,  the  saw  track  forming  the  let- 
ter V  and  the  cut  ends  of  the  door  logs  were 
thus  in  the  shape  of  obtuse  wedges.  For  at 
that  time,  locks  and  hinges,  except  of  wood, 
were  not  to  be  had,  for  the  early  pioneer  car- 
ried nothing  with  him  but  the  important  ne- 
cessities of  life. 

This  fact  somewhat  explains  the  origin  of 
the  hospitable  and  prevalent  custom  of  that  day 
among  miners  and  cattle  men  of  leaving  their 
cabins  open  to  the  wanderer  and  the  stranger, 
for  they  could  not  lock  them.     Earth  formed 


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THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  "]$ 

the  floor,  mud  and  logs  the  walls ;  a  small  hole 
in  the  wall  served  as  a  window. 

Into  this  rude  habitation  Nora  cautiously 
entered  and  found  flour,  matches,  bacon,  coffee, 
sugar,  salt  and,  also  pans  and  other  light  cook- 
ing utensils  in  use  in  camp  life.  She  also 
found  a  notice  scribbled  on  the  wall  with 
charcoal  which  read :  "Eat,  but  steal  not." 
She  inferred  from  this  admonition  that  the 
owners  of  this  rude  habitation  were  of  a  kind- 
ly disposition,  and  that  they  contemplated  re- 
turning at  some  future  time  for  their  provis- 
ions. 

It  should  be  here  stated  that  in  sparsely 
settled  portions  of  the  west  this  generous  and 
humane  custom  prevails  to  this  day  among 
the  cowboys  and  miners.  They  leave  their 
cabins  open  to  the  "cattlemen"  and  wandering 
gold  miner,  who  thus  find  food  and  shelter  in 
the  absence  of  the  "boss,"  who  may  be  from 


74  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

home  and  he  perhaps  finds  food  and  shelter 
in  the  hospitable  cabin  of  a  stranger  in  like 
manner. 

The  sad  spirit  of  poor  Nora  now  was  made 
hopeful  in  the  thought  that  she  at  some  future 
time  perhaps  would  be  rescued  from  the  terrors 
which  surrounded  her  on  all  sides.  For  In- 
dians, bears  and  mountain  lions  then  existed  in 
abundance  in  the  mountains. 

So  she  wisely  concluded  to  wait  for  the  re- 
turn of  the  unknown  occupants  of  the  cabin, 
for  she  felt  instinctively  that  she  could  never 
find  her  way  out  of  the  mysterious  and  un- 
known regions  of  the  mountains  unaided. 
She  therefore  made  a  fire,  and  cooked,  and  ate 
her  first  sad  and  lonely  meal.  And  thus  a 
melancholy  life  of  solitude  was  begun  by  her 
in  a  wild  region,  and  in  a  stranger's  cabin. 

When  she  had    finished    her    repast,     and 
cleared   the  table  of  its   queer  assortment  of 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  75 

dishes,  which  consisted  mostly  of  tinware,  cups, 
spoons,  plates,  a  case  knife,  and  a  steel  hunter's 

knife,  she  sat  down  upon  a  large  rock,  evi- 
dently designed  for  a  seat,  and  looked  around 
to  ascertain  the  best  means  to  make  her  en- 
forced home  in  the  cabin  endurable.  She  ob- 
served that  two  round  pine  logs  of  suitable 
lengths  placed  in  the  corner  of  the  cabin  formed 
the  side,  and  end  of  a  bunk,  the  other  side  and 
end  being  formed  by  the  side  and  end  of  the 
cabin.  It  was  filled  with  dry  grass  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  a  mattress.  There  was  also  a  table, 
but  a  queer  one  it  was.  A  sheet,  or  slab 
of  bark,  cut  and  carefully  peeled  from  a  green 
tree,  pressed  flat,  and  dried  in  the  sun,  smooth 
and  flat  as  a  board,  formed  its  top.  It  was 
three  feet  wide  by  four  feet  long,  and  was 
supported  by  four  large  rocks.  But  it  flashed 
upon  her  mind  that  she  had  no  change  of  linen, 
nor  would  her  well  worn  dress  last  her  long. 


76  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

She  arose  from  her  seat  excitedly  as  she  real- 
ized this,  and  walked  the  room  in  deep  study. 
She  finally  concluded  that  she  needed  clothing 
and  must  have  it  at  all  hazards.  She  knew  that 
if  she  could  secure  the  dairy  can  containing-  her 
wardrobe  from  the  cavern  in  the  mountain 
where  she  had  hid  it,  that  she  could  pass  the 
time  in  the  cabin  with  tolerable  comfort.  But 
it  was  a  fearful  and  perilous  task  for  her  to 
attempt  the  trip  unguided  and  alone.  But  she 
made  up  her  mind  to  do  so,  come  what  would. 
For  woman's  love  of  dress  is  to  her  a  meed  of 
praise  or  the  open  door,  leading  down  to  the 
lowly  walks  of  shame,  dishonor,  and  death. 
Therefore,  casting  all  thoughts  of  danger 
aside,  she  started  next  morning  on  her  perilous 
journey,  taking  with  her,  however,  a  small 
lunch.  She  followed  the  trail  which  had  guided 
her  to  the  cabin,  back  to  the  foot  of  a  high 
mountain,     where     it     terminated.      Fur     this 


THE      STORY      OT      A      PIONEER  77 

mountain,  now  known  as  Big  Chief,  adjacent 
to  Bergen  Park,  was  a  guide  point,  because 
it  stands  high  above  the  others,  and  can  be 
easily  found,  therefore  the  blazed  trees,  or  trail, 
began  at  this  mountain  and  lead  to  this  cabin. 
From  this  place  Nora  succeeded  in  finding  her 
way,  for  she  recognized  many  of  the  moun- 
tains which  she  had  previously  passed,  which 
aided  her  very  much  in  arriving  at  the  scene 
of  her  great  misfortune.  She  viewed  it  again 
with  a  deeply  troubled  heart,  and  made  a  short 
search  to  find  what  she  could;  but  no  addi- 
tional object  was  found.  So  hastily  taking 
hold  of  the  heavy  dairy  can  containing  her 
clothing,  she  started  upon  her  return  journey, 
sometimes  carrying  it,  sometimes  dragging  it 
over  the  gravelly  soil,  like  a  sled,  by  its  handle, 
till  she  reached  again  her  cabin  door. 

The  reader  can  better  imagine,  than  could 
be  described,  the  sorrow,  the  dread  and  anx- 


78  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

/ 

iety  of  little  Nora  during  this  time.  But  once 
during  this  time  did  she  feel  the  dangers  and 
terrors  of  her  situation,  although  at  no  time 
did  she  feel  safe.  On  this  occasion  she  wrap- 
ped herself  in  her  blanket  and  retired  for  the 
night,  as  usual.  Stretching  herself  out  on  her 
rude  pallet  of  soft  pine  twigs,  she  soon  fell  into 
a  quiet  sleep,  but  some  time  during  the  night 
she  heard  a  rumbling  noise  overhead,  like 
heavy  footsteps  on  the  weak,  trembling  roof. 
This  both  awoke  and  alarmed  her.  Suddenly, 
with  a  crash,  some  huge  object  came  down 
through  the  roof  and  dropped  beside  her.  For 
a  moment  she  thought  it  was  a  rock  from  the 
high  mountain  which  had  rolled  down  its  side 
and  crashed  through  the  frail  roof.  But  no,  it 
was  a  living  animal  of  some  sort,  for  its 
sniff  of  the  air,  and  its  loud,  excited  breathing 
filled  her  heart  with  fear  and  trembling.  Its 
warm,  strong*  breath,  which  beat  often  heavily 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  79 

into  her  face,  increased  her  fright,  for  she  thus 
knew  that  it  was  a  large  animal,  perhaps  a 
grizzly  bear.  Her  situation  was  now  one  of 
intense  excitement  and  terror,  and  scarcely  en- 
durable. But  with  a  fortitude,  born  of  self- 
reliance  and  determination,  she  bore  up  under 
this  excitement  until  morning,  when  she  saw 
by  the  first  light  of  dawning  day  that  the  cause 
of  her  alarm  was  an  innocent  work-ox  that  had 
strayed  away  from  its  owner,  and  wandered 
onto  the  roof,  which  was  too  weak  to  bear  his 
weight,  and  he  broke  through,  dropping  a  disr 
tance  of  but  seven  feet  to  the  floor  below  and 
thus  frightening  our  young  heroine  out  of  her 
wits.  It  was  not  a  difficult  task  to  drive  him 
out  of  the  cabin.  When  outside  he  started  off 
bellowing,  in  search  of  his  mate,  while  Nora 
engaged  herself  in  the  work  of  repairing  the 
damage  to  her  domicile;  for  having  been  reared 
on  a  farm,  she  was  capable  of  doing  much  of 


80  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

the  outdoor  work  of  boys  or  men.  She  could 
fish,  trap  rabbits  or  grouse  with  the  skill  of  a 
hunter,  in  which  she  often  engaged,  and  for- 
tunately, while  in  this  solitude,  with  advantage- 
ous results. 

The  possession  of  these  rude  accomplish- 
ments, fishing  and  hunting,  were  the  source  of 
much  pleasure  to  her  in  her  solitude  and  isola- 
tion. By  engaging  in  them  she  was  thus  be- 
guiled into  a  new  line  of  thought,  and  into  a 
forgetfulness  of  her  condition.  Thus  was  the 
tedium  of  time  and  the  weary  watching  and 
waiting  during  many  a  dull  day  lightened  and 
lifted  from  her  mind.  The  pleasing  excite- 
ment of  these  pursuits  also  brightened  her  mind 
with  the  light  of  joy,  like  rays  of  light  through 
a  cloud-covered  sky.  Indeed  she  became  fas- 
cinated, and  attached  to  this  sort  of  recreation 
and  pastime.  But  as  she  possessed  a  bright 
mind  of  diversified  qualities,  she  was  enabled 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  8l 

to  pursue  various  other  sources  of  amusement. 
One  of  these  was  efforts  of  a  literary  nature, 
and  the  composition  of  short  poems,  one  of 
which  is  presented : 

NORA'S  SOLILOQUY. 

Oh,  solitude,  banish  the  gloom,  which  disturbs  my  breast, 
And  tell  me,  oh,  tell  me,  why  I'm  oppressed 
With  dread,  and  with  fear,  and  full  of  alarm, 
And  why  thy  grandeur,  to  me,  is  void  of  a  charm? 

Thy  silence  is  dreary,  and  hard  to  endure 

While  I  wander  about,  and  seek  for  its  cure, 

In  the  midst  of  the  forest,  along  the  bright  stream, 

Where  fishes  are  skipping,  so  happy  they  seem. 

And  the  gay,  feathered  songsters,  on  perches  above 
Are  sending  up  music,  to  God,  for  his  love. 
While  leaflet,  and  limb,  of  the  majestic  trees, 
Fanned  by  the  breeze,  make  music  to  please. 

And  the  voice  of  the  stream,  as  it  rushes  along, 
Yields  up  its  music,  and  grants  me  a  song, 
Though  sweet  be  the  songs  of  bird,  brook  and  tree, 
They  are  sad  to  my  heart — dull  music  to  me. 


82  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

They  fill  me  with  anguish,  for  in  them  I  see 
The  cause  of  their  joy,  and  not  any  for  me. 
I  shrink  from  the  view,  in  gloom  and  vexation, 
For  I'm  but  a  speck  in  God's  pondrous  creation ; 

And  a  victim  of  fore  s,  controlling  the  world 
As  seen  in  flood-waters,  or  lava  of  volcanos  hurled. 
How,  then,  can  I  be  merry,  while  lost,  and  alone, 
Homeless  and  friendless,  and  the  future  unknown? 
For  watching  and  waiting  is  distressing  to  me; 
Oh  how  I  long  for  its  ending — I  pray  it  soon  be. 

But  as  all  things  of  this  world  have  a  termi- 
nation, so  Nora's  exile  was  approaching  its 
end.  Snow  had  now  clothed  the  high  moun- 
tain peaks  in  white,  though  none  had  fallen  in 
the  narrow  gulch  where  Nora  dwelt,  but  the 
keen  frost  of  September  had  touched  the  leaves 
of  the  aspen  and  wild- raspberry,  and  they  were 
falling  in  showers  to  the  ground.  These  signs 
of  approaching  winter  instead  of  diminishing 
her  hope,  as  one  would  suppose,  rather  in- 
creased it,  for  with  the  sound  reasoning  of  one 


THE      STORY     OF      A      PIONEER  83 

of  more  mature  years,  she  felt  sure  that  the 
proprietors  of  the  provisions  and  cabin  would 
surely  return  now  for  their  store  of  winter 
supplies,  deposited  there,  perhaps,  to  lighten 
the  loads  of  their  pack  animals  while  they 
traveled  over  the  almost  impassable  mountains 
in  search  of  rich  gold  mines.  This  view  of 
the  matter  was  correct,  for  on  the  5th  day  of 
October  of  the  year  i860,  a  memorable  day  to 
her,  she  met  with  an  episode  and,  though  not 
unexpected,  it  was  none  the  less  exciting. 
She  had  been  out  that  day  hunting  and  fishing. 
The  fish  she  caught  with  a  dip  net,  made  of 
strips  of  strong  willow  bark;  the  rabbits  and 
grouse  with  snares  or  loops  of  the  same,  set 
where  they  resort,  into  which  they  ran,  and 
were  thus  caught.  She  had  that  day  caught 
two  grouse  and  was  cooking  them  over  a 
gentle  fire,  and  had  stepped  outside  the  door 
to  go  for  a  pail  of  water,  when  she  heard  dis- 


84  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

tinctly  these  words,  while  her  heart  rapidly  beat 
with  joy : 

"Say,  pard,  would  it  not  be  a  joke  on  us  if 
the  mountain  rats  and  gophers  have  eaten  up  all 
our  grub." 

"No,  it  would  be  a  greater  joke  to  find  it 
there,  for  we  did  not  think  of  the  voracious 
mountain  rats  when  we  left,  and  it  is  but  rea- 
sonable to  think  they  have  destroyed  it." 

Nora  stood  as  one  in  a  trance.  She  heard 
footsteps  approaching,  and  saw  glimpses  of 
dusky  figures  through  the  thlick  (pines.  As 
they  came  nearer  she  saw  that  they  were  two 
rough-looking  white  men,  in  ragged  clothing, 
with  lengthy  unshaven  beards,  and  long  uncut 
hair.  They  drove  before  them  two  mules  laden 
with  blankets,  picks,  shovels  and  other  articles 
pertaining  to  a  miner's  life. 

When  they  saw  her  standing  there  pail  in 
hand,  they  were  more  surprised  than  she.     But 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  85 

as  they  came  close  to  her,  a  puzzled  smile  came 
upon  the  face  of  one  of  them,  and  he  said  ex- 
citedly : 

"Oh,  Nora,  what  brought  you  here,  and  are 
you  alone?" 

Nora  looked  upon  him  with  surprise  and 
wonder,  and  gave  him  a  searching  look. 

"Sad  and  in  sorrow  am  I,  yes,  alas !  alone." 

"Alone,"  said  Nora,  as  she  broke  down  un- 
der a  spasm  of  grief,  realizing  the  true  mean- 
ing, to  her,  of  the  word,  "alone." 

And  she  wept,  as  women  often  weep,  from 
the  high  excitement  and  emotions  of  the  occa- 
sion. For  there  was  much  to  disturb  and 
harass  her  mind.  She  did  not  know  the  char- 
acter of  the  men,  whether  honorable  or  not. 
She  would  now  have  to  relinquish  her  inde- 
pendence, and  appeal  to  them  for  guardianship 
and  care,  and  for  just  and  fair  treatment,  for 
she  was  now  in  their  power. 


86  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

These  considerations  agitated  her  much  as 
she  looked  upon  these  two  strange  men  with 
that  insecurity  which  the  absence  of  knowl- 
edge yields. 

Feeling,  however,  that  friendly  regard,  and 
respectful  confidence,  will  win  favor,  and  per- 
mitting her  mind  to  reach  out  to  them  with 
trusting  hope,  she  therefore,  while  they  un- 
packed, and  turned  their  mules  out  to  graze, 
explained  to  them  her  sad  situation,  told  them 
of  her  misfortune,  of  the  death  of  her  parents 
and  of  the  probable  death  of  her  Uncle  Drew 
by  some  wild  animal,  and  closed  by  asking  earn- 
estly: 

"Who  are  you?" 

"Why,  Nora,  is  it  possible  that  you  do  not 
recognize  me  yet?  I  am  Enoch  Allen,  whom 
you  met  on  the  plains  and  a  true  friend  to  you 
now   in   your  time   of   greatest  need,   for  my 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  87 

sympathy  is  drawn  out  to  you  by  the  affecting- 
recital  of  your  misfortune  and  sorrow." 

"Oh,  will  you  be  a  friend  to  me?"  she. said 
imploringly,  as  she  flung  her  arms  around  his 
body  in  trusting  hope.  "And  will  you  be  a 
father  to  me,  and  take  me  out  of  these  terrible 
mountains?" 

"Yes,  Nora,"  he  said,  as  sympathetic  tears 
glistened  in  his  eyes,  "I  will  give  you  a  father's 
care  and  protection." 

They  then  entered  the  cabin,  and  while  an 
exceedingly  pleasant  conversation  was  entered 
into,  and  mutual  explanations  were  made. 
Nora,  with  cheerful  face  "and  pleasing  smile, 
and  with  a  skill  and  grace  not  to  be  expected  of 
one  of  her  years,  completed  the  preparations  of 
the  meal  already  begun.  As  they  partook  of 
this  pleasant  repast  of  mountain  grouse  and 
trout  and  pancakes,  it  seemed  that  never  could 
people  be  more  happy  than  they  then  were.     Tn 


88  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

reply  to  an  apology,  made  by  Nora  for  appro- 
priating his  provisions  to  her  own  use,  Enoch 
said  :  "Reproach  yourself  not,  Nora,  for  you 
had  no  choice  in  the  matter,  and  I  would  not 
be  human  to  blame  you  for  what  you  could  not 
avoid;  and  besides  I  think  you  deserve  more 
praise  than  blame,  for  your  presence  in  the 
cabin  has  doubtless  protected  the  provisions 
from  the  depredations  of  rats  and  gophers 
Having  been  favored  by  fortune  in  my  search 
for  gold,  being  now  the  possessor  of  one  of  the 
best  mines  in  Russel  Gulch,  near  Central  City, 
and  being  possessed  of  plenty,  I  will  'whack 
up'  with  you,  as  miners  say,  and  furnish  you 
with  the  necessary  means  to  educate  yourself 
at  one  of  the  best  academies  in  St.  Louis,  and 
will  see  you  safely  out  of  this  lonely  place,  pro- 
vided, however,  that  you  will  accept  my  propo- 
sition with  the  generous  untrammeled  freedom 
with  which  it  is  made,  and  that  von  will  in  no 


Nora   Returning   from   the   Brook 


I  lie  fish  she*  had  caught  wilh 
a  din  net.  made  of  strips  of 
strong  willow  bark." 

I'aue  83 


THE      STORY      OF      A      TIONEER  89 

wise  feel  humiliated  by  its  acceptance,  nor  be 
grieved  by  becoming  a  dependent  upon  my 
benefactions,  and  a  debtor  in  a  sum  which  you 
are  now  powerless  to  pay." 

"Oh,  Enoch,"  she  replied,  "friend  that  you 
now  prove  yourself  to  be  to  me,  speak  not  thus, 
for  your  language  fills  my  mind  with  contend- 
ing thoughts  and  emotions,  which  my  poor 
words  have  not  the  power  to  clearly  express. 
Besides  you  know  that  I  am  lost  and  forlorn, 
bound  to  this  spot,  for  I  know  not  the  way  out. 
I  am  at  your  mercy,  for  good  or  for  ill,  and 
therefore  can  not  refuse  your  offer,  whatever 
it  be,  or  however  disagreeable  to  me." 

"Nora,  the  fine  impulses  of  your  nature," 
said  Enoch  Allen,  "awaken  thoughts  in  your 
mind  which  should  lie  dormant.  They  fill  your 
troubled  heart  with  entanglements  and  diffi- 
culties which  may  never  arise,  and  should  not 
be  considered  at  this  melancholy  time,  there- 


90  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

fore  to  persuade  you,  if  possible,  to  its  accept- 
ance, I  will  now  withdraw  all  its  conditions, 
and  will  make  it  again,  pure  and  simple,  and 
will  grant  to  time  and  the  nobility  of  your  na- 
ture to  wear  away  the  difficulties  which  disturb 
your  mind.  For  what  I  offer  to  do  for  you  is 
but  a  simple  act  of  Christian  equity,  in  line 
with  the  golden  rule,  which  means  assistance 
to  those  in  distress,  as  assistance  should  be 
given  us  if  in  like  need.  Assistance,  if  given 
at  all,  should  surely  come  from  abundance  and 
not  from  poverty's  purse.  I  therefore  feel  that 
it  is  surely  due  from  me  to  you,  notwithstand- 
ing the  scruples  you  have  in  this  matter,  to 
make  you  this  offer.  For  in  accordance  with 
these  views  I  owe  you  a  debt  in  Christian 
equity,  and  after  its  payment  we  but  stand 
as  equals  under  the  moral  law,  each  to  each. 
Besides,  viewing  this  matter  in  another  way, 
we  have,  through  the  providence  of  God,  or  by 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  91 

the  fateful  circumstances  that  control  the  des- 
tinies of  men  for  weal  or  for  woe,  been  brought 
to,  and  placed  in,  the  most  striking  circum- 
stances with  relation  to  each  other.  You,  cast 
down  into  the  depths  of  inexpressible  misery 
and  despair  by  the  loss  of  your  parents,  and  all 
else  that  was  dear  to  you,  and  that  made  life 
worth  living,  while  I,  with  no  great  effort  of 
my  own,  but  rather  by  the  benevolence  of  good 
luck,  have  been  made  happy  beyond  expression 
by  the  discovery  of  a  gold  mine  of  inestimable 
wealth.  I  think,  therefore,  as  we  both  have 
started  out  together  in  pursuit  of  the  same  ob- 
ject, and  as  we  have  been  companions  in  the 
hardships,  dangers  and  discomforts  of  travel 
on  the  plains,  and  though  you  have  been  lost 
and  forlorn  on  the  way,  you  still  should  right- 
fully out  of  our  mutually  acquired  wealth,  re- 
ceive salvage,  which  is  the  reward  due  each 
member  composing  a  company  who  performed 


92  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

an  undertaking  full  of  danger.  Under  the 
maritime  laws  of  both  England  and  the  Unit- 
ed States,  salvage  is  due  each  member  of  a 
party  in  an  adventure,  not  for  any  distinct  per- 
formance of  a  member  of  the  party,  but  for  the 
successful  performance  of  the  whole.  In  ac- 
cordance with  this  well  accepted  law,  you,  Nora, 
are  entitled  to  a  share  of  my  good  luck." 

Nora,  in  response,  said : 

"Enoch,  kind  sir,  I  cannot  fully  comprehend 
the  fine  sense  of  right  which  you  maintain 
should  prevail  among  mankind,  nor  do  I  feel 
competent  to  give  a  logical  answer  to  these 
sublime  and  intricate  questions  of  moral  law. 
I  therefore  prefer  to  meditate  seriously  on  them 
in  silence,  and  I  can  only  say  you  are  too  kind. 
I  can  never  repay  you,  nor  can  I  find  words 
that  will  tell  you  how  grateful  I  am  for  your 
interest  in  me." 

"I  seek  not  gratitude,  nor  words  of  thanks." 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  93 

said  Enoch,  "but  rather  the  approval  of  my 
head  and  heart ;  and  therefore  freely  give  to 
others  a  part  of  what  has  been  bestowed  on 
me  by  the  wise  Dispenser  of  this  world's  bless- 
ings." 

It  was  arranged,  therefore,  that  his  partner 
or  "pard,"  as  he  termed  him,  should  transport 
the  provisions  to  the  mine,  while  Enoch  would 
visit  his  relatives  and  friends  near  St.  Louis 
during  the  winter,  and  return  in  the  spring  to 
continue  his  work  in  the  mines.  He  would 
thus  be  enabled  to  conduct  Nora  safely  out  of 
danger  and  place  her  in  school,  as  he  had  so 
generously  proffered  to  do.  Next  morning  the 
two  mules  were  loaded  with  their  packs,  one 
for  Denver,  already  a  little  village,  the  other 
for  the  mines  of  North  Clear  Creek  in  Russel 
Gulch. 

Enoch  seated  Nora  on  the  pack,  while  he 
walked,   driving  the  well-laden  animal  along, 


94  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

as  is  the  custom  of  miners.  At  Denver  he  and 
Nora  took  the  stage  for  Omaha,  where  they 
boarded  the  cars  for  St.  Louis,  where  Nora 
was  to  enter  St.  Mary's  Academy,  under  the 
watchful  and  motherly  care  of  the  Sisters  of 
that  institution. 

As  Nora  was  now  to  receive  her  education 
in  a  Catholic  sisterhood,  and  as  she  may  be 
affected  more  or  less  by  its  environment,  and  as 
these  educational  institutions  are  now  receiv- 
ing constantly  increasing  patronage,  many 
prominent  Protestants  select  them  as  the  most 
fitting  institutions  for  the  education  of  their 
daughters,  it  is  pertinent  to  know  something 
of  the  inner  life  and  rules  governing  them. 
They  are  organized  communities  of  women, 
under  systematic  laws  regulating  their  govern- 
ment, designed  to  perform  religous  duties,  or 
do  work  of  charity  or  benevolence. 

Each  takes  a  solemn  vow,  considered  as  sa- 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  95 

cred  as  an  oath,  when  admitted  to  the  com- 
munity, to  do  special  religious  work,  thus  the 
Sisters  of  Charity  are  pledged  to  engage  in 
the  vast  work  which  their  name  implies.  The 
Sisters  of  the  Good  Shepherd  are  pledged  to 
be  shepherds  in  fact,  to  care  for  the  lambs,  the 
girls,  that  they  go  not  astray,  and  keep  and 
guide  them  in  the  path  of  virtue  and  away  from 
sin.  The  Little  Sisters  of  the  Poor  furnish  a 
home  for  the  aged  and  helpless  poor,  while 
others  are  pledged  to  perform  educational  work, 
imparting  religious  knowledge  to  the  young,  in- 
culcating into  their  minds  honor  and  reverence 
to  God,  and  disciplining  their  young  minds  in 
manners  and  morals. 

To  enable  them  to  carry  out  these  benevo- 
lent purposes,  unrestrained  and  untrammeled, 
they  are  pledged  solemnly  to  celibacy,  whereby 
they  may  devote  their  care  to  this  work,  rather 
than  to  a  husband  and  family. 


96  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

The  pledge  of  celibacy  carries  with  it  many 
subsidiary  requirements.  The  celibate  is  admon- 
ished to  walk  the  streets  with  modest,  down- 
cast eyes,  not  to  talk  with  men,  only  as  neces- 
sity requires,  nor  engage  in  jocular  nor  frivo- 
lous talk.  These  observances  followed  for 
years  as  near  as  weak  human  nature  can  yield 
to  them,  establishes. a  modest  and  attractive 
manner  in  the  Catholic  Sisters  always  discern- 
ible. For  modest  and  dignified  grace  is  a 
crown  and  glory  in  lovely  women  far  surpass- 
ing in  value  gold  or  a  jeweled  crown.  No 
wonder  then,  that  Martin  Luther,  in  the  gross- 
ness  of  sin,  cast  away  his  priestly  robes,  and 
heedless  of  his  sacred  vow,  married  a  nun  and 
originated  a  religion,  not  named  after,  any 
divine  person,  but  named  after  himself,  and 
which  finally  unscrupulous  kings  found  in  it 
pretended  excuse  for  strife  and  war,  and  an 
apparent  cause  for  the  appropriation    of    the 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  Q7 

church  property  by  an  act  of  sequestration,  a 
polite  name  for  theft. 

Therefore.  Nora,  surrounded  by  the  modesty 
and  Christian  grace  of  the  sisters,  could  not 
but  be  influenced,  and  her  manners  modified 
and  shaped,  by  their  refined  christian  deport- 
ment. It  will  be  shown  further  on  how  her 
dignity  and  refined  manners  affected  Enoch 
Allen. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  enter  into  any  detailed 
account  of  Nora's  life  while  in  the  academy, 
but  it  must  be  said  of  her  that  she  made  rapid 
progress  in  her  studies,  due  to  diligent  applica- 
tion and  perseverence.  She  felt  that  she 
should  conscientiously  use  what  was  bestowed 
upon  her  for  a  special  purpose,  and  that 
to  do  otherwise  would  be  a  wrong  to  her  bene- 
factor. Thus  inspired  by  a  sense  of  duty,  and 
being  possessed  of  a  bright  intellect,   she  be- 


p8  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

came    one    of    the    brightest    students    at    the 
school. 

Before  Enoch  Allen  returned  to  Colorado  in 
the  spring  he  paid  a  visit  to  Nora.  Again  she 
scarcely  recognized  him,  for  the  barber  and 
clothier  had  so  wonderfully  changed  his  per- 
sonal appearance  that  he  seemed  no  longer  the 
same.  He  was  both  genteel  and  well  man- 
nered, having  a  mind  disciplined  to  adapt  itself 
to  any  condition  of  life.  He  again  assured 
Nora  that  he  would  fulfill  his  promise  and  fur- 
nish her  the  means  to  acquire  an  education,  and 
begged  her  to  quiet  her  modest  reluctance  in 
accepting  so  much  from  him.  "It  is  but  a 
trifle,"  he  said,  "as  compared  with  the  vast 
sum  realized  from  my  mine,  and  I  will  never 
miss  so  small  a  sum."  As  his  mine  proved, 
year  after  year,  to  be  one  of  the  most  produc- 
tive in  Russel  Gulch,  the  yearly  remittances 
for  Nora's  tuition  and  expenses  were,  in  fact. 


THE     STORY     OF      A      PIONEER  99 

as  he  had  said,  a  trifle  to  him.  He  was  now  a 
wealthy  man,  and  made  occasional  visits  to  his 
relatives  at  St.  Louis,  and  on  these  occasions 
never  failed  to  call  on  Nora.  It  was  but  nat- 
ural that  a  feeling  of  strong  friendship  should 
attract  them  one  to  the  other,  for  friendship 
and  love  spring  not  from  senseless  impulse  or 
passion,  but  from  the  mutual  appreciation  of 
the  good  qualities  and  character  of  each  other. 

Nora  was  now  twenty  years  old,  when  wo- 
man is  in  the  prime  of  her  beauty,  in  form  and 
face  divine,  and  is  then  ever  a  source  of  pleas- 
ure to  behold. 

Days,  months  and  years  had  passed,  till  now 
Nora  had  entered  upon  her  fourth  and  last  year 
at  school,  and  excepting  the  necessary  "shop- 
ping" and  a  few  picnic  excursions,  Nora  had 
never  been  out  of  school  during  all  this  time. 
She,  therefore,  longed  for  the  open  fields,  the 
hills  and  valleys,  the  wild  flowers  and  sweet 


IOO  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

song    birds   of    country    life.     These    pleasant 

scenes  of  her  childhood  were  dear  to  her.  and 

she  longed  to  enjoy  them  again.  An  oppor- 
tunity to  do  so  was  now  unexpectedly  granted 

her.  through  the  generosity  and  kindness  of 
two  of  her  old  school  mates,  who  offered  her 
the  hospitality  of  their  home  and  a  free  passage 
thereto.  This  she  thankfully  accepted  and  com- 
municated her  intentions  to  Enoch  Allen  in  Col- 
orado. These  two  young  ladies  and  Nora  were 
great  friends  during  the  long  years  of  their 
school  life.  Indeed,  from  their  very  first  ac- 
quaintance they  were  attracted  to  each  other 
by  some  influential  power  or  affinity.  They 
became  strong  and  steadfast  friends,  advised 
with  each  other  on  the  trivial  vexations  and 
troubles  of  schoolgirl  life.  They  never  seemed 
more  happy  than  when  together,  engaged  in 
the  animated  and  innocent  prattle  which  school- 
girls  so   much   delight   in.      They   all    entered 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  IOI 

school  at  the  same  time.  They  were  sisters. 
and  though  possessing  the  family  name  of  Nor- 
ton, were  as  different  from  Nora  Norton  as  day 
is  from  night.  Their  complexions  were  very 
dark,  cheek  bones  high,  eyes  dark  as  a  crow's 
wing,  and  hair  as  dark  and  straight  as  an  In- 
dians ;  indeed  it  was  whispered  among'  their 
schoolmates  that  they  were  half  breeds,  but,  as 
two  Mexican  pupils  were  as  dark  as  they,  with 
similar  cast  of  features,  little  was  said  or 
thought  of  the  matter.  The  name  of  the  elder 
one  was  Minnie,  and  the  younger  one  was 
Annie.  Their  home  was  at  Fort  Laramie,  in 
Wyoming'  Territory,  and  because  of  that  cir- 
cumstance they  were  supposed  to  be  daughters 
of  an  army  officer  on  duty  there.  They  were  es- 
teemed by  their  classmates,  being  courteous  and 
pleasant  to  all,  and  possessing  abundant  means 
to  meet  every  need.  Indeed  they  had  been  so 
liberally  supplied   with  money  that  they  were 


102  THE      STORY     OF     A      PIONEER 

amply  able  to  purchase  the  railroad  and  stage 
tickets  for  themselves  and  Nora  to  their  home 
at  Fort  Laramie,  Wyoming  Territory. 

Fort  Laramie,  on  a  tributary  of  the  Platte  of 
that  name,  was  at  that  time  a  small  frontier 
post  of  considerable  importance,  where  several 
companies  of  soldiers  were  stationed  to  keep 
the  Ute  and  Cheyenne  Indians  under  control. 
The  officers  dwelt  in  neat  frame  houses,  the 
soldiers  had  good  quarters,  and  all  lived  a  life 
of  leisure  and  pleasure,  "Uncle  Sam"  paying 
the  bills.  The  sutler,  the  merchant  of  the  post, 
besides  furnishing  the  post  with  tobacco, 
liquors  and  other  goods  at  a  vast  profit, 
also  supplied  the  Indians  with  sugar,  ba- 
con, crackers,  powder,  lead,  etc.,  at  extor- 
tionate prices,  often  trading  a  pound  of  sugar 
for  a  tanned  buckskin  worth  a  dollar,  or  75 
cents  worth  of  ammunition  for  a  dressed  buf- 
falo robe,  worth  $5.     Thus  do  Indians,  under 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  IO3 

the  care  of  the  agents  and  officers  of  the  gov- 
ernment, see  and  feel  the  nobility  of  civiliza- 
tion, a  double-edged  sword  of  injustice  which 
robs  them  of  their  means  of  existence  and  fills 
them  with  misery  and  despair.  And  thus  it 
was  that  the  sutler,  appointed  by  the  govern- 
ment, and,  therefore,  secure  from  any  competi- 
tion, was  enabled  in  a  short  time  to  become  im- 
mensely wealthy.  He  resided  in  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  houses  of  the  Fort,  and  even  at 
that  time  it  had  all  the  style  of  an  eastern  man- 
sion. But  there  is  a  custom  in  connection  with 
his  life,  as  well  as  that  of  nearly  all  Indian 
traders,  which  must  not  be  omitted  in  this  nar- 
ration. 

They,  as  a  rule,  are  married  to  squaws,  and 
thus  they  are,  in  a  measure,  adopted  into  the 
tribe,  and  are  considered  by  the  Indians  as 
friends  to  be  trusted.  It  should  also  be  stated 
that  these  white  men,  or  "squaw  men,"  thus 


104  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

connected  by  marriage  feel  more  safe  among 
the  Indians.  It  is  said  that  a  white  man's  life 
among  the  Indians  would  not  be  safe  unless  he 
thus  connected  himself  with  the  tribe.  A 
strange  feature  of  such  a  marriage  is  that  the 
would-be  bridegroom  usually  buys  his  wife  for 
so  much  merchandise,  or  a  pony.  The  terms 
and  conditions  of  the  trade  are  easy.  The  giv- 
ing away  of  the  bride  and  the  marriage  consist 
of  a  feast  and  a  dance  of  joy — all  as  simple  and 
rude  as  a  child's  play  at  school. 

Hence  the  sutler  at  Fort  Laramie  had  like- 
wise long  since  married  a  squaw,  and  had  two 
well-grown  half  breed  daughters  whom  he  had 
himself  taught  to  read  in  early  life;  but,  desir- 
ing to  give  them  the  advantage  of  a  thorough 
education,  now  that  he  was  wealthy,  he  planned 
to  send  them  to  some  eastern  seminary. 

It  is  worthy  of  note,  before  proceeding 
further,   to    describe    the    wonderful    change 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  105 

wrought  upon  the  squaw -wife  by  her  marriage 
to  a  white  man.  that  instead  of  the  slovenly, 
unclean  condition  of  her  maidenhood,  she  be- 
comes a  comparatively  clean  and  orderly 
housekeeper.  Unlike  many  women  of  a  higher 
civilization  who  esteem  their  haughty  inde- 
pendence so  highly  that  it  becomes  rank  in- 
justice, the  squaw-wife  has  a  watchful  care, 
and  kindly  regard  for  the  pleasure  and  comfort 
of  her  husband.  This  is  mainly  due  to  the 
family  rule  in  Indian  strict  life  obedience  and 
respect  for  parental  authority;  not  resistance, 
but  assent  to  it ;  not  opposition,  but  compliance 
with  it.  This  rule,  perhaps  too  strenuous  in 
savage  life,  is  too  lax  in  civilized  life. 

As  many  of  the  army  officers'  wives  and  fam- 
ilies had  now  come  to  reside  at  the  Fort,  and  as 
his  wealth  and  position  drew  around  him  refined 
people,  and  his  squaw-wife  could  never  as- 
similate nor  associate  with  them  with  any  de- 


106  THE      STORY      OF     A      PIONEER 

gree  of  pleasure  to  either,  she  seemed  to  him 
to  be  in  the  way.  He  therefore  planned  and 
put  into  execution  what  others  before  him  had 
done — the  most  melancholy  act  of  this  anoma- 
lous marriage.  He  told  his  wife,  for  he  had 
learned  to  speak  the  Indian  language,  that  she 
must  return  to  her  tribe ;  that  she  could  no  lon- 
ger dwell  under  his  roof;  that  he  would  send 
their  daughters  away  to  school,  and  that  she, 
too,  must  go. 

Then,  moved  by  strong  and  tender  love  for 
her  children,  she  ran  in  frantic  grief  to  the 
lawn,  where  they  were  at  play.  Seizing  the 
elder  one,  in  endearing  tones  she  cried :  "O, 
Minetah !"  which  was  her  Indian  name,  and 
wept  over  her  and  in  a  similar  manner  grieved 
over  Annetah,  her  younger  child. 

Regardless  of  her  remonstrance  and  tears, 
and  unmoved  by  her  pitiful  appeals  for  justice 
and  the  right  to  abide  with  and  enjoy  the  com- 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  107 

forting  companionship  of  her  children,  the  next 
day  he  placed  her  on  a  pony,  with  provisions 
and  blankets,  and  started  her  off  alone,  many 
miles,  to  seek  the  camp  of  her  tribe.  Though 
untutored  as  she  was  she  felt  the  great  wrong 
to  herself  of  leaving  all  behind  her.  She 
wept  all  the  way,  and  her  loud  sobs  and  wail  of 
sorrow  were  heard  when  she  was  a  long  dis- 
tance off.  Her  children  were  also  in  the  deep- 
est grief  at  the  loss  of  their  mother.  The 
whole  proceeding  was  extremely  sad.  But  the 
father's  will  is  the  law  of  the  family  in  Indian 
as  well  as  in  civilized  life,  whether  right  or 
wrong,  but  it  is  nevertheless  often  unjust. 

As  a  soldier  had  been  detailed  to  the  sutler 
as  cook  and  housekeeper  by  the  commanding 
officer  of  the  post,  the  absence  of  their  mothe/ 
did  not  affect  their  personal  comfort,  but  it 
took  from  them  a  mother's  sympathy,  society 
and  companionship. 


108  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

Before  their  departure  for  school,  be- 
hold one  evening'  their  mother  returned  on  the 
same  pony,  after  an  absence  of  but  two  weeks. 
With  tears  and  entreaties  she  humbly  plead  to 
live  and  die  near  her  children,  for  her  tribe 
now  treated  her  with  scorn  and  indifference. 
Her  husband  yielded  in  a  measure  to  her  en- 
treaties, for  he  was  not  at  heart  a  bad  man, 
but  was  rather  the  creature  of  circumstances. 
It  was  agreed  that  she  should  live  alone  in  a 
tent  near  his  house,  the  abode  of  her  children, 
and  that  he  would  supply  all  her  wants,  which 
were  few.  This  delighted  her  children,  for 
they  could  thus  call  in  to  see  their  mother 
ever  day.  And  it  should  be  said  that  their 
squaw-mother  really  enjoyed  these  periodical 
visits  more  than  her  daughters,  for  what 
mother's  heart  is  not  full  of  joy  when  her 
children  are  playfully  romping  around  her? 
Time  did  not  hang  heavily  upon  her,  because 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  IOQ. 

the  visits  of  her  children  were  sunshine  to  her 
heart.  Now.  left  to  herself  in  her  abode  she 
dropped  back  to  many  of  the  ways  of  savagery. 
She  preferred  a  seat  upon  an  open  robe  to  a 
chair,  bed  of  blankets  to  a  mattress,  and  her 
hair  loose,  hanging  down,  than  done  up.  As  a 
whole  her  life  was  now  comparatively  happy. 
To  pass  the  time  away,  like  her  more  cultured 
sisters,  she  engaged  in  fancy  work,  making 
beaded  slippers,  belts  and  baskets,  which  she 
lovingly  bestowed  upon  Minnie,  Annie  and  her 
husband. 

Soon  after  this  episode  the  girls  were  placed 
on  an  eastbound  stage  coach,  in  care  of  a  re- 
turning officer,  and  taken  to  an  eastern  school. 

They  made  annual  returns  in  vacation  to 
see  their  father  and  mother.  They  had  their 
father's  consent  to  invite  a  schoolmate  to  visit 
and  remain  with  them  during  vacation,  but 
never   found  one  at   liberty  or  willing  to  tin- 


110  THE     STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

dertake  so  distant,  or  so  arduous  a  trip.  But 
now  they  wrote  to  their  father  that  after  grad- 
uating they  would  bring  with  them  to  their 
far  western  home  a  dear  friend  and  school- 
mate, friendless  and  alone  in  the  world,  to 
make  a  long  visit  with  them.  They  had  com- 
municated to  their  father  the  date  of  their  de- 
parture and  he  was,  therefore,  at  the  Overland 
Stage  station  when  they  arrived.  His  two 
daughters  were  first  on  the  landing,  and 
after  greeting  their  father,  they  introduced 
him,  saying:  "Father,  Miss  Nora  Norton." 
He  looked  upon  her  in  a  sort  of  bewildered 
surprise,  not  recognizing  her,  however,  as  any 
one  he  had  previously  seen,  he  received  her 
with  a  smile  rather  than  with  words.  But 
Nora,  with  that  keen  discernment  and  quick 
decision  common  to  womankind,  gave  him  an 
earnest,  searching  look,  and  recognizing  him 
as  her  uncle  "Drew,"  she  raised  her  hands  ex- 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  III 

citedly  in  the  air  as  the  blood  rushed  to  her 
head  and  heart  from  the  impulse  of  the  shock, 
then  she  ran  to  him  with  open  arms  say- 
ing: "Oh,  Uncle  Drew,  do  you  not  know 
Nora,  your  niece?"  and  fell  into  his  arms  in  a 
swoon. 

And  thus  Nora  and  her  uncle  met  so  unex- 
pectedly after  each  had  mourned  the  other  as 
dead. 

When  Nora  regained  consciousness  a  series 
of  explanations  were  entered  into  by  both,  by 
which  each  was  made  acquainted  with  the  sad 
events  in  the  life  of  the  other,  after  they  had 
separated  so  unexpectedly  in  the  gulch  in  the 
mountains.  Drew  told  Nora  of  his  fight  with 
the  bear;  how  he  lay  under  a  tree  all  night, 
and  next  morning,  after  eating  some  of  the 
meat  of  the  bear  he  had  killed,  how  he  had 
felt  increased  strength,  and  after  providing 
himself  with  some  meat  for  the  trip,  started 


112  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

to  overtake  his  brother  and  family,  but  on  en- 
tering the  gulch  where  he  had  left  them  the 
day  before  and  seeing  its  torn-up  condition, 
and  finding  his  brother's  hat  and  remnants  of 
his  wagon,  and  the  horse  previously  men- 
tioned, and  after  giving  the  gulch  a  thorough 
search  for  a  long  distance  along  its  channel, 
and  finding  no  traces  of  his  brother  and  family, 
and  being  well  acquainted  with  the  destructive 
power  of  a  cloud  burst,  he  concluded  that  all 
his  brother's  family  had  been  drowned,  and  he. 
therefore,  made  his  way  back  to  the  camp  an 
Cherry  Creek,  where  he  took  the  Overland 
stage  for  his  home  at  Fort  Laramie. 

He  gave  as  a  reason  for  withholding  a 
knowledge  of  his  business  and  family  relations 
from  his  brother  and  his  family  that  he  feared 
a  rebuke  from  his  brother,  who  knew  nothing 
of  the  necessity  of  his  marrying  a  squaw,  and 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  113 

he  would,   therefore,   doubtless  condemn  him 
1 1  >r  it. 

Nora  told  her  Uncle  Drew  the  long,  sad 
story  of  her  parents'  terrible  death  and  of  her 
lost  and  sad  condition  in  the  lonely  cabin ;  of 
her  rescue,  and  of  the  generosity  of  her  bene- 
factor. Her  uncle  was  much  affected,  and 
said,  excitedly : 

"I  will  bestow  upon  him  a  small  fortune 
for  those  inestimable  acts  of  benevolence  to 
you." 

Nora  said :  "His  proud  and  noble  spirit 
could  never  be  made  to  yield  to  an  acceptance 
of  a  reward  for  what  he  finds  a  pleasure  and 
delight  in  doing,"  replied  Nora.  "Besides, 
uncle,  he  is  'the  architect  of  his  own  fortune.' 
having  made  it  in  the  gold  mines  of  Colorado. 

"He  is  a  nobleman,  truly,"  said  her  uncle, 
"and    I    would  be   too   glad   to   meet   him   and 


114  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

thank  him  personally,  but  you  have  not  made 
known  to  me  his  name." 

"You  have  met  him  once  or  twice  at  our 
camp  fire  on  the  plains.  His  name  is  Enoch 
Allen." 

Ah,  yes;  I  remember  him.  Write  to  him, 
Nora,  and  convey  to  him  my  desire  to  see  him, 
and  the  pleasure  it  would  afford  me  for  him  to 
visit  us." 

"It  is  already  arranged,  uncle,"  she  said. 
He  will  soon  be  here;  but  he  does  not  know 
who  you  are — nor  did  I  expect  so  strange  a 
surprise." 

"Well,"  said  her  uncle,  "he  will  receive  a 
hearty  welcome  when  he  comes  and  be  an  hon- 
ored member  of  our  household,  esteemed  for 
his  great  kindness  to  you.  And  Nora,  you 
shall  ever  have  a  permanent  home  with  us 
now." 

Nora  earnestly  thanked  him  for  this  evidence 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  115 

of  his  affection  for  her.  She  now  felt  at  home 
in  her  uncle's  house,  and  as  Minnie  and  Annie 
were  dear  to  her  before,  they  seemed  more  dear 
to  her,  now  that  she  knew  they  were  her  cous- 
ins.  She  often  went  into  the  tent  to  see  their 
mother,  who  exhibited  much  affection  for  them, 
and  they  on  these  occasions  seemed  very  fond 
of  her. 

Their  mother  addressed  them  as  Minetah 
and  Annetah,  which  tliev  modified  into  Minnie 
and  Annie  when  they  entered  the  academy. 

A  fortnight  after  Nora's  arrival  at  the  Fort, 
Enoch  Allen  arrived,  which  was  the  occasion 
again  of  rejoicing  and  congratulations.  Nora, 
now  so  unexpectedly  having  found  a  home 
among  loved  ones,  was  as  happy  as  mortal 
could  well  be.  Her  heart,  at  one  time  weighed 
down  by  heavy  sorrow,  made  life  seem  to  her 
scarcely  worth  the  living,  but  now,  on  the  con- 
trary, in  the  midst  of  the  beauty  around  her, 


1 16  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

with  loving  friends  as  cheerful  companions, 
and  with  a  heart  full  of  joy,  she  rejoiced  that 
life  was  a  blessing  of  such  inexpressible  worth. 
She  now  longed  to  see  Enoch,  to  tell  him  of  her 
great  joy  and  rehearse  to  him  some  of  the  inci- 
dents connected  with  her  dreary,  isolated  life 
in  the  cabin,  which,  for  want  of  time,  and  a 
suitable  opportunity  at  the  convent,  she  had 
never  told  him. 

As  no  definite  day  had  been  fixed  upon  for 
the  arrival  of  Enoch  Allen,  Nora  and  her 
uncle  took  occasional  walks  to  the  station  at 
"coach  time,"  in  the  hope  of  meeting  him,  which 
they  did  on  an  incoming  coach  a  fortnight 
after  Nora's  arrival  at  her  uncle's.  Nora  scarce- 
ly recognized  him  in  his  neat-fitting  suit  of 
black,  covering  his  robust  and  shapely  form. 
As  he  alighted  from  the  coach,  she  eagerly  ap- 
proached him,  and  with  a  refined  manner  and 
dignity  she  gracefully  extended  to    him    her 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  117 

welcoming  hand,  and  as  he  took  it  in  his,  in 
tones  well  spoken,  and  seemingly  as  sweet  to 
him  as  the  sounds  of  a  sweet  song  bird,  she 
said  : 

"Enoch  Allen,  my  most  esteemed  friend,  I 
grasp  your  hand  with  a  feeling  of  gratitude 
and  respect,  for  I  have  been  an  undeserving 
recipient  of  your  substantial  generosity,  and 
therefore  it  delights  me  highly  to  meet  you,  and 
express  to  you  my  gratitude." 

Looking  upon  her  with  admiration  and  de- 
light, he  replied :  "Nora,  the  melody  of  your 
voice,  the  readiness  with  which  you  speak,  and 
the  beauty  of  your  language,  please  and  charm 
me,  which  is  ample  reward  to  me  for  the  little 
I  have  done  for  you,  for  by  your  studious  in- 
dustry at  the  academy,  my  paltry  and  voiceless 
gold  has  adorned  you  with  an  eloquence  and 
beauty  of  speech  more  sweet  than  music  itself, 
therefore  let  your  mind  repose  in  peace;  for  it 


Il8  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

has  benefited  you  and  done  me  no  harm,  for  I 
have  an  abundance  of  money — beyond  my 
needs." 

Nora,  in  the  excitement  of  her  interview 
with  Enoch,  and  during  this  interesting  collo- 
quy with  him,  had  overlooked  or  forgotten  her 
uncle,  who  stood  near  by  listening,  and  wait- 
ing. Looking  around,  she  saw  him,  where- 
upon she  informally  introduced  Enoch.  Her 
uncle  took  him  cordially  by  the  hand,  and  said  : 

"It  is  a  pleasure  to  me  to  meet  you — you  who 
have  been  so  generous  a  benefactor  to  my  most 
unfortunate  niece.  I  appreciate  your  kindness, 
and  hope  to  reward  you,  or  reciprocate  the 
favor,  at  some  future  time." 

"I  would  degrade  myself  in  my  own  con- 
scious knowledge  of  my  duty,  did  I  not  respond 
to  the  cry  of  distress  and  reach  out  a  helping 
hand  to  the  unfortunate,  and  helpless  to  aid 
them  to  arise,"  modestly  replied  Enoch.      'The 


THE     STORY      OF     A      PIONEER  IIQ 

beasts  of  the  field  and  the  birds  of  the  air  fly  to 
their  companions  in  distress,  to  give  battle  and 
protect  them  in  their  helpless  need.  I  would 
have  been  less  than  one  of  these  had  I  not,  out 
of  my  vast,  inflowing  abundance,  given  assist- 
ance to  your  worthy  niece." 

Nora,  hearing  these  tender  and  noble  words 
come  from  the  lips  of  Enoch,  was  moved  by 
emotions  of  gratitude,  and  her  eyes  filled  with 
tears,  and  she  wept  as  women  often  weep,  from 
uncontrollable  excitement.  The  scene  was  an 
affecting  one  as  they  stood  together,  Nora  in 
the  acme  of  the  superlative  beauty  of  early  wo- 
manhood, adorned  by  educational  accomplish- 
ments, and  Enoch  Allen,  in  the  grandeur  of  ro- 
bust manhood,  was  an  interesting  sight  to  be- 
hold. 

"Enoch,  your  words  are  wisely  spoken,  and 
manifest  a  generous  disposition  and  a  nobility 
of   character  which   awakens   my  admiration, 


120  THE      STORY      OF       A       PIONEER 

and  wins  my  love  and  respect,"  said  her  uncle. 

The  conversation  was  of  too  exciting  a  na- 
ture for  Nora  to  enjoy  or  endure,  so  she  re- 
marked, before  Enoch  had  time  to  reply :  "Let 
us  go  to  the  house,"  which  they  all  did. 

Entering  the  parlor,  an  artistically  and  elab- 
orately furnished  room,  Nora's  uncle  pointing 
to  a  luxuriant  easy  chair,  while  she  gracefully 
relieved  him  of  his  hat.  offered  an  apology 
for  temporary  absence  on  the  plea  of  personal 
business,  and  left  Enoch  and  Nora  together 
alone,  as  it  may  be  supposed,  to  their  great  sat- 
isfaction. It  is  needless  to  say  that  a  woman  is 
always  the  first  to  break  an  oppressive  silence, 
when  alone  with  the  man  she  admires  and  re- 
spects. So  it  was  in  this  case.  Nora,  with  the 
fertility  of  a  trained  mind,  gracefully  broke  the 
silence  and  charmed  the  ears  of  Enoch  by  the 
eloquent  and  captivating  manner  of  her  recital 
of  the  exciting  incidents  of  her  life.     As  she 


THE      STORY      OF      A      1'IONEES  121 

related  incident  after  incident  in  detail  of  her 
striking  adventures,  of  the  stringency  of  her 
environment,  and  how  her  ingenuity  enabled 
her  to  overcome  them,  Enoch,  an  attentive  and 
interested  listener,  seemed  to  be  entranced  by 
the  charm  of  her  manner.  The  ready  flow  of 
her  well-chosen  words  falling  from  her  lips,  the 
melody  of  her  well-modulated  voice,  and  the 
charming  modesty  resting  in  her  eyes  and  on 
her  brow,  the  crown  of  glory  over  all,  won 
Enoch's  regard  and  he  had  to  admit  to  himself 
that  Nora  possessed  a  mind  of  marvelous 
power.  His  admiration  of  her  intellectual 
qualities  gained  his  favor,  and  thus  was  dull- 
ness and  inattention  aroused  into  pleasing  ac- 
tion. Then  the  little  midget,  love,  found  easy 
access,  and  a  hiding  place  within  the  inner  re- 
cesses of  his  heart.  Her  personal  charms,  and 
brilliant  accomplishments,  spread  their  capti- 
vating influence  around  him.     He  became  an 


122  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

easy  victim  to  its  potent  power,  and  he  felt  him- 
self drawn  with  tenderness  toward  Nora.  His 
heart  was  inspired  with  strong  love  for  her. 
But  to  explain  this  condition  of  his  heart  to  her 
was  a  serious  matter  to  him,  for  she  had  al- 
ways been  more  a  child  to  him  than  an  equal, 
to  whom  he  might  talk  of  love,  and  he  had 
always  seemed  more  like  a  father  to  her.  Nev- 
ertheless, he  formed  a  resolution  to  make 
known  to  her  his  affection  and  love  for  her, 
which  had  irresistibly  found  its  way  into  his 
mind  and  heart.  He  awaited  a  favorable  op- 
portunity with  pleasurable  suspense.  As  they 
frequently  strolled  out  together  for  a  walk,  or 
to  view  the  soldiers  on  parade,  or  to  see  them 
go  through  the  manual  of  arms,  the  opportunity 
was  not  long  in  presenting  itself. 

One  day,  while  sitting  on  a  long  summer 
seat  in  the  shade  of  a  large  tree,  viewing  the 
soldiers   on   dress   parade,   going  through  the 


THE      STORY     OF      A      PIONEER  I23 

beautiful  changes  of  the  march,  Enoch  Allen 
remarked  to  Nora :  "That  is  a  pleasing  sight 
to  behold:" 

"I  aver  it  is,  and  it  shows  the  grand  results 
of  educational  training,"  answered  Nora. 

'Truly  said,"  replied  Enoch.  "But  beauty  is 
not  alone  a  source  of  joy.  I  venture  to  say  that 
these  soldiers  are  neither  content  nor  happy." 

"They  appear  to  be,  but  appearances  are 
often  deceiving,"  said  Nora.  "As  their  daily 
service  is  well  understood,  they  are  free  from 
care,  responsibility,  and  the  vexation  of  a  busi- 
ness life,  and  should  therefore  be  extreme]) 
happy." 

"Ah!  Nora!  These  are  insufficient  to  satisfy 
the  requirements  of  the  active,  intelligent  mind 
of  man.  It  requires  pleasing  employment  to 
cheer  and  make  it  happy,  for  idleness  is  noth- 
ing.    It  is  the  absence  of  everything." 


124  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

"Enoch,  you  speak  so  seriously,  so  solemnly, 
that  I  suppose  you  are  gloomy  today." 

"Nora,  your  surmises  are  not  far  wrong,  for 
my  mind  is  filled  with  a  sort  of  trouble." 

"Enoch  Allen,  friend  of  mine  that  you  are, 
tell  me  what  troubles  you,  that  I  may  give  you 
aid  and  comfort.  I  thought  that  you  possessed 
everything  that  makes  the  heart  of  man  happy." 

"No,  dear  Nora — allow  me  so  to  call  you — 
there  is  one  thing  more  I  desire,  to  make  me 
completely  happy — it  is  your  own  dear  self. 
I  want  your  rich,  pure  love.  I  want  you  to  be 
my  own  sweet  wife." 

As  he  spoke  these  words,  apparently  so  un- 
expected to  her,  she  fell  over  in  a  faint  against 
his  shoulder,  or  seemingly  so,  possibly  to  hide 
the  excitement  of  her  overpowering  joy.  This 
so  surprised  and  excited  him,  he  quickly  arose, 
laid  her  down  in  a  restful  position,  with  his 
soft  felt  hat  under  her  head  as  a  substitute  for 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  125 

a  pillow,  but  soon  reaction  set  in,  and  returning 
consciousness  was  visible,  and  as  sbe  opened 
her  eyes  a  gentle,  quiet  smile  came  over  her 
beautiful  face  as  sweet  as  that  of  a  babe,  awak- 
ening from  slumber. 

"Oh!  dear  Nora!  dear  Nora!"  he  said,  as  he 
raised  her  to  an  upright  position,  "Pardon  me 
for  mv  haste  and  rudeness." 

She  laughed  merrily,  but  gently,  and  said : 
"Perhaps  you  are  not  aware  that  young  la- 
dies intuitively  have  more  discernment  than  the 
overage  man  gives  them  credit  for.  I  was 
hoping-,  half  expecting,  a  climax  of  this  sort, 
but  notwithstanding  this,  my  great  delight  and 
uncontrollable  joy  overwhelmed  me.  and  I  was 
made  helpless,  and  in  your  care  for  a  time  at 
least,  and  now,  dear  Enoch,  yours  for  years  to 
come,  while  life  does  last,"  and  Enoch  took 
her  approvingly  by  the  hand,  and  sat  down  by 


126  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

her  side.     And  now  we  will  leave  them  in  the 
midst  of  their  supreme  joy. 

[It  should  be  here  stated  that,  in  the  manner 
and  style  of  the  customary  novel  or  story  of 
the  present  day,  the  love  scene  is  made  a  jum- 
ble of  nonsense,  of  cooing  and  kissing,  of  pett- 
ing, fondling  and  pleading,  which  is  a  needless 
display  of  the  low,  animal  grossness  of  our  vul- 
gar nature,  for  could  the  average  love-making 
scenes  immediately  preceding  marriage  be  pho- 
tographed, and  the  whole  reproduced  together 
on  a  screen  as  a  "living  picture,"  it  would  be  a 
startling  sight,  and  one  which  few  would  wish 
to  look  upon  ten  years  after  marriage.  This 
sort  of  thing  should  have  no  attraction  for 
minds  of  noble  qualities  and  intellectual  great- 
ness. But  it  prevails  nevertheless.  Marriage 
is  not  a  mere  union  of  bodies.  It  is  more.  It 
is  a  union  of  the  higher  and  nobler  qualities  of 
man  and  woman,  the  union  of  a  similitude  of 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  127 

minds,  a  union  of-  approving  intellects,  of  gen- 
ial, longing  souls  for  each  other,  as  exempli- 
fied in  this  true  story  of  Enoch  and  Nora,  who 
required  better  evidence  of  their  love  for  each 
other  than  the  fallacious,  animal-like  kiss  as 
simulated  in  the  caressing  tongue  stroke  of  the 
cow  and  dog,  or  in  the  fondling  stroke  of  the 
bill  of  birds  of  land  and  air.  Their  noble  souls 
sought  the  higher  and  greater  joys  of  intellect- 
ual life,  which  they  found  in  each  other.  Each 
found  in  the  mind  of  the  other  qualities  to  ad- 
mire, not  to  question  or  "nag."  The  emana- 
tion of  their  intellects  was  always  a  source  of 
joy  to  the  other,  for  though  differing  materially 
from  each  other,  they  were  in  harmonious  ac- 
cord, as  the  string  of  a  harp  or  violin  is  with 
its  mate.  A  union  of  this  sort  is  full  of  wis- 
dom and  joy,  more  of  heaven  than  of  sordid 
earth.  It  is  a  union  of  two  kindred  souls  reach- 
ing out  to  each  in  a  rebuking  frown  upon  the 


1 28  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

"nagging-"  disturber  of  the  peace  and  quiet  of 
married  life.] 

The  nature  and  occurrences  of  the  memorable 
episode  of  Enoch  and  Nora  on  the  summer  seat 
under  the  tree  in  which  their  love  was  plighted 
to  each  other,  was  for  some  time  not  known  to 
anyone  except  themselves.  They  named  the 
day,  however,  of  their  marriage,  which  was  de- 
stined to  be  one  of  the  happiest  days  of  their 
eventful  lives,  ,  which  they  coyly  endeavored 
not  to  make  known.  But  the  news  was  too  in- 
teresting to  be  kept  a  secret.  Nora  and  Enoch 
were  now  always  together,  usually  in  the  so- 
ciety of  Minnie  and  Annie.  Their  uncle,  being- 
occupied  more  or  less  with  his  business,  had 
not  much  time  to  devote  to  the  numerous  social 
functions  of  the  Fort. 

Her  uncle  was  delighted   with  this  turn  of 
affairs. 

A  marriage  at  a  Fort  on  the  plains  at  that 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  129 

time  was  an  episode  of  very  rare  occurrence, 
and  caused  a  stir  and  an  excited  interest  among 
the  officers'  wives  and  other  female  attaches. 

Uncle  Drew  had  much  to  do  with  the  con- 
duct and  arrangements  of  the  marriage  cere- 
monial. As  he  had  much  influence  with  the 
commanding  officer,  his  solicitation  and  wishes 
respecting  the  wedding  ceremonial  were  gra- 
ciously granted.  The  spacious  armory  of  the 
fort  was  beautifully  decorated  for  the  occasion. 
All  needful  regulations  were  provided  by  Nora's 
uncle.  The  line  of  march  from  the  Norton  resi- 
dence across  the  lawn  was  as  follows : 

In  first  advance — Chaplain  Captain  East- 
light,  Enoch  Allen,  Nora  Norton,  Minnie  Nor- 
ton and  Andrew  Norton. 

Second  advance — Guard  of  honor,  consist- 
ing of  a  detachment  of  fifty  United  States  sol- 
diers, in  full  dress,  in  ten  lines,  five  abreast. 


130  THE      STORY     OF      A      PIONEER 

Third  advance — Full  military  band  playing 
the  wedding  march. 

Fourth  advance — Invited  guests,  consisting 
of  commissioned  officers  of  the  Fort,  the  Indian 
agent  and  Chief  Big  Smoke,  an  Indian  inter- 
preter. 

Entering  the  armory  each  advance  took  its 
place,  previously  designated,  the  guard  of 
honor  in  a  decorative  manner  around  the  wall, 
while  the  others  found  seats  in  the  body  of  the 
hall,  the  bridal  party  taking  a  place  well  up  in 
front  near  the  chancel. 

The  chaplain  of  the  Fort  united  them  in 
marriage,  her  Uncle  Drew  giving  her  away 
with  tears  of  joy  in  his  eyes,  for  he  felt  that 
a  man  possessing  so  many  good  qualities  de- 
served a  worthy  wife.  A  large  number  of 
friends  were  present  at  the  ceremony,  and  their 
hearty  wishes  for  the  future  happiness  of  the 


THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER  131 

newly-wedded  pair  were  an  index  of  the  de- 
light and  pleasure  they  felt  on  the  occasion. 

On  their  wedding  tour  Enoch  and  his  bride 
visited  his  relatives  at  St.  Louis,  after  which 
they  located  in  Denver  and  invested  the  greater 
portion  of  his  vast  wealth  in  stocks  and  bonds. 
He  thus  lives  a  life  of  leisure  and  quiet  con- 
tent. His  splendid  residence  on  one  of  the 
fashionable  streets,  with  its  beautiful  lawn  and 
ornamental  shrubbery,  is  often  pointed  out  to 
strangers  as  "the  residence  of  one  of  the  richest 
men  in  the  city." 

Minnie  was  married  to  Captain  Eastlight. 
who  is  stationed  in  Arizona.  Annie  married 
a  young  merchant  and  resides  in  Rochester,  N. 
Y.  Their  mother  died  in  her  tent  before  the 
marriage  of  either  of  her  daughters,  having  had 
the  best  of  care  and  attention  in  her  last  illness. 
Andrew  Norton,  now  an  old  man,  resides  with 
his  son-in-law  in  Rochester,  N.  Y. 


Minta  Abel 

THE   COW-HERDER    GIRL 


MINT  A  ABEL 

THE    COW-HERDER    GIRL 

t  is  a  pleasing  study  to  contemplate 
the  life  history  of  the  distinguished 
citizens  which  are  found  in  any  com- 
munity. In  whatever  capacity  they  excel, 
whether  in  business  success,  intellectual  acquire- 
ment, or  the  possession  of  great  wealth,  we 
long  to  know  the  hidden  pathway  which  led 
them  to  attain  their  prominence.  While  their 
accomplishments  are  a  wonder,  we  long  to  pen- 
etrate and  possess  the  secret  of  their  success. 

Therefore  the  struggles  and  incidents  which 
the  great  ones  of  the  world  have  passed  through 
in  their  upward  advancement  are  highly  inter- 
esting, and  we  listen  eagerly  to  their 
recital.  But  why  the  stepping  stone  to  pros- 
perity should  often  be  the  most  adverse  and  dis- 


I36  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

couraging,  is  as  inexplicable  as  that  one's  eyes 
should  be  black,  another's  blue,  or  that  one 
child  should  be  born  in  the  midst  of  the  com- 
forts of  wealth,  while  another  equally  attract- 
ive is  born  in  the  abode  of  poverty  and  suffers 
from  want,  hunger,  and  cold,  through  all  the 
days  of  its  childhood,  or  that  one  should  have 
kind  and  loving  parents,  the  other  one  cross  and 
cruel  ones.  That  these  various  conditions  of 
childhood  may  or  may  not  seriously  affect  and 
somewhat  shape  the  course  of  life  is  a  question 
which  has  engaged  the  earnest  consideration 
and  investigation  of  the  philanthropic  minds 
of  men. 

Whether  any  of  these  conditions  or  the  long- 
ings of  a  bright  mind  shaped  Minta  Abel's  way 
in  life  to  triumph  over  all  her  misfortunes  is 
left  for  the  reader  to  judge  when  he  reads  her 
wonderful  life  story. 

Poor  Minta  was  too  young,  too  innocent,  to 


MINT  A      ABEL  137 

give  cause,  or  do  any  wrong  for  which  she 
should  be  made  to  suffer,  or  deserve  to  be  de- 
pressed by  cruelty  and  abuse.  Yet  these  were 
not  a  shield  to  her  and  did  not  protect  her 
heart  from  the  inflow  of  sorrow  or  the  deso- 
lation of  deprivation. 

It  seemed  sad,  indeed,  when  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God  her  father  was  taken  from  her 
by  death,  when  she  was  but  a  child  three  years 
old,  thus  depriving  her  of  his  paternal  com- 
panionship and  care.  But  it  was  cruelty,  and 
a  misfortune  to  Minta  when,  in  less  than  two 
years  after  her  father's  death,  her  mother  mar- 
ried again,  and  she  was  compelled  to  yield 
obedience  and  respect  to  a  man  who  had  been 
a  stranger  to  her  till  the  day  he  married  her 
mother. 

If  Minta  had  had  any  choice  in  this  matter 
she  would  never  have  chosen  Ezra  McBride 
to  be  her  stepfather,   for  he  was  repulsive  to 


I38  THE      STORY     OF      A      PIONEER 

her  the  first  time  she  saw  him.  His  gruff, 
harsh  manner  and  speech  grated  on  the  fine 
feelings  of  her  nature,  and  she  shrank  from 

him  as  from  one  she  feared. 

Ezra  McBride  had  lived  too  long  the  care- 
less life  of  a  bachelor,  void  of  business  worry 
and  responsibility,  and  was  of  too  gross  a 
nature  to  bear  with  patience  the  whims  or 
wants  of  childhood,  or  find  any  pleasure  in 
their  innocent  prattle  or  play.  He  never  spoke 
in  tender  tones,  nor  in  the  soothing  voice  so 
endearing  to  the  pure  angel  spirit  of  early- 
childhood.  He  never  addressed  Minta  but  to 
rebuke,  direct  or  command  her  in  some  trivial 
matter. 

The  home  joys  and  sunshine  of  Minta's 
youth  were  thus  covered  by  the  dark  shadow 
of  her  stepfather's  sordid  nature. 

He  was  in  no  way  prepossessing.  His  fea- 
tures were  dark  and  forbidding,  coarse  and  an- 


MINTAABEL  139 

gular.  He  had  lost  one  of  his  front  teeth  in 
a  fight  over  a  glass  of  ale,  it  was  said,  which 
added  to  the  peculiarity  of  his  looks.  When 
he  spoke  in  animated,  or  excited  tones,  his 
words  came  out  through  the  vacant  space  of 
his  absent  tooth,  causing  a  snake-like  hissing  or 
whistling  sound. 

It  is  one  of  the  inexplicable  mysteries  of 
social  life  to  see  men  and  women  of  the  most 
strange  contrasts  imaginable  joined  together 
in  marriage.  A  union  of  this  sort  was  the 
marriage  of  Ezra  McBride  and  Sarah  Abel, 
the  good  looking  young  widow.  It  was  ac- 
cordingly the  wonder  and  the  talk  of  the 
neighborhood  for  many  months. 

She  had  a  good  ranch  in  scarcely  a  day's 
ride  from  Denver,  well  stocked  with  cattle, 
which  yielded  her  a  good  living,  and  it  went 
without  saying  that  Ezra  McBride  married  her 


140  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

more  for  the  love  of  her  home  than  for  her 
personal  attractions. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  the  inference  was  a  reas- 
onable one,  for  he  had  nothing  to  add  to  her 
small  store  of  wealth.  His  disregard  of,  and 
his  harsh  manner  toward,  Minta  did  not  soften 
with  the  growing  charms  of  her  increasing 
age,  but,  on  the  contrary,  he  maintained  to- 
ward her  a  sort  of  stern  severity  and  demure- 
ness  repugnant  to  her  joyous  nature. 

Minta  was  now  six  years  old  and  a  child  of 
remarkable  beauty  and  intelligence.  Her  love 
of  knowledge  was  so  strong  that  she  never 
seemed  so  happy  as  when  her  mother  told  her 
over  the  names  of  the  letters  of  the  alphabet,  or 
when  she  taught  her  how  to  spell  small  words. 
Thus  Minta  almost  persuaded  her  mother  by 
her  anxiety  and  inquiring  look  to  teach  her  to 
read,  which  was  an  easy  task,  for  she  followed 
her  mother  from  kitchen  to  cellar  with  finger 


MINTA      ABEL  I4I 

on  a  word  to  be  told  its  meaning  or  its  pro- 
nunciation. Thus  she  became  a  good  reader  at 
a  very  early  age.  Seldom  do  children  mani- 
fest so  much  desire  to  learn  as  she  did.  Books 
were  her  joy  and  reading  her  delight.  She 
borrowed  from  neighbors  far  and  near  to  fill 
this  want.  But,  like  many  others  who  have 
sought  to  fill  their  minds  with  the  gems  of 
knowledge  and  wisdom,  she  did  not  find  the 
way  to  do  so  smooth  nor  easy,  for  books  were 
limited,  and  her  neighbors  were  miles  and 
miles  apart  in  the  cattle  growing  region  where 
she  dwelt,  and,  besides,  at  her  early  age,  she 
was,  by  the  exacting  nature  of  her  father, 
obliged  to  do  many  outdoor  errands.  The  old 
"cow  pony,"  a  trained  and  gentle  animal,  was 
often  saddled  for  her,  and  she  was  compelled 
to  herd  and  gather  in  the  cows  and  assist  in 
the  milking.  And,  by  gradually  increasing  her 
duty,   both    in   doors   and   out,   she  became   a 


142  THE      STORY      OF     A      PIONEER 

drudge  for  both  her  father  and  her  mother.  It 
was  Minta  here,  Minta  there,  Minta  out  and 
Minta  in.  From  early  morning  till  late  at 
night  she  was  on  the  go.  Having  a  generous 
disposition  and  a  kind  heart,  she  was  animated 
by  a  desire  to  please,  and  thought  but  little  of 
these  hardships,  but,  as  time  wore  on,  she 
was  made  sadly  aware  that  she  could  not  please 
her  unreasonable  and  ill-natured  father.  Her 
conversation  he  treated  with  contempt;  her 
work  he  unkindly  criticised  and  depreciated 
and  her  intelligence  he  underrated,  and  called 
her  a  silly  child,  or  a  fool.  And  now,  to  in- 
crease her  weight  of  misery,  she  perceived  that 
her  mother  extended  to  her  less  sympathy  than 
formerly.  She  thought  in  her  childish  heart 
that  her  mother  had  all  she  could  do  to  care 
for  her  little  half-sister,  Nana,  and  therefore 
she  could  not  now  give  her  so  much  attention, 
while  the  fact  was  that  her  husband's  perverse 


MINTA      ABEL  I43 

nature  found  a  hideous  pleasure  in  prejudicing 
her  mother  against  Minta. 

Poor  Minta,  now  cut  off  from  that  sympathy 
and  affectionate  regard  which  fill  the  sweet 
days  of  childhood  with  joyous  delight,  was 
cast  into  gloom.  Sadness  filled  her  heart,  and 
now,  though  but  ten  years  old,  she  began  to 
think  and  plan  for  herself.  She  therefore  de- 
termined that  she  would  prove  to  her  father  and 
mother,  and  others  as  well,  that  she  had  been 
greatly  wronged,  and  was  not  weak  minded, 
but  would  in  time  fill  an  honored  place 
among  the  educated  and  intelligent  ones  of  the 
world.  This  determination  absorbed  all  the 
other  thoughts  of  her  mind,  and  she  thus  be- 
came apparently  morose,  but,  in  fact,  she  was 
intent  on  working  out  in  a  spirit  of  gloomy 
hopefulness  some  plan  by  which  she  could  ac- 
complish her  noble  purpose.  She  was,  there- 
fore, serious  and  reflective  during  this  time,  as 


144  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

one  oppressed.  For  most  of  her  time  was  occu- 
pied in  herding  the  cows  on  the  prairies,  often 
five  or  more  miles  from  her  home.  She  nat- 
urally thus  became  a  skillful  rider,  could  ride  a 
horse  bareback  sideways  or  otherwise,  with  a 
wondrous  grace  and  security.  And,  as  she 
thus  did  a  "cowboy's"  work,  she  was  named 
"the  cowboy-girl"  by  those  who  met  her  on 
these  occasions. 

At  the  beginning  of  her  regular  labor  as  a 
"cowboy"  she  met  with  a  most  melancholy 
accident. 

She  had  brought  home  the  cows,  and  climb- 
ing to  the  top  of  a  stack  of  hay  to  get  feed 
for  her  pony,  a  wind  storm  caused  her  to  lose 
her  footing,  and  she  was  hurled  to  the  ground, 
breaking  her  jaw  bone  near  the  joint — which 
confined  her  to  her  bed  for  several  weeks. 

Her  father,  with  his  characteristic  want  of 
sympathy  for  her,  was  enraged,  for  he  knew 


M  I  X  I  A      ABEL  1 45 

well  he  would  now  be  obliged  to  herd  the  cows 
himself,  for  a  while  at  least,  and  therefore  he 
said  to  Minta  in  angry  tones  as  she  lay  in  her 
bed : 

"You  ought  a  had  more  sense  than  go  on 
the  stack  when  the  wind  blowed,"  hissing  the 
words  through  the  vacant  space  of  his  absent 
tooth.  Now,  had  Minta  failed  to  feed  her  pony 
for  this  cause,  he  would  with  his  accustomed 
perversity  have  said,  as  he  had  often  before : 
"No  danger  of  wind  a  hurtin'  you;  it  never 
hurts  good-for-nothin'  folks." 

Minta,  comprehending  this,  and  knowing  his 
evil  nature,  and  feeling  the  injustice  she  was 
made  to  bear,  said,  submissively,  while 
tears  tilled  her  eyes:  "Father,  I  thought  that 
you  wanted  me  t<>  feed  the  pony."  "Yas,  I 
did."  said  her  father,  "but  no  use  in  bein'  awk- 
ard  and  fallin'  off  a  stak'."  Her  mother,  now 
moved    with  compassion   for  her  child   in   her 


I4t»  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

misfortune  and  weakness,  said :  "Ezra,  you 
are  unreasonable  in  expecting  so  much  from 
Minta.  When  she  does  her  work  well  for  one 
of  her  age  you  find  fault  with  her  because  she 
does  not  do  it  with  the  skill  and  nicety  of  one 
of  more  mature  years.  When  she  does  not  do 
it  through  forgetfulness,  of  which  you  yourself 
are  guilty,  or  for  want  of  time,  you  call  her 
lazy  and  good-for-nothing."  Feeling  that  there 
was  some  truth  in  what  she  said,  he  replied : 
"Wal.  she  wUrrys  me,  and  I  know  I  hev  caus 
to  cumplane." 

Mrs.  McBride  replied: 

"No  doubt  you  think  so,  but  the  'cause'  you 
mention  is  an  imagined  one,  existing  only  in 
your  own  mind  and  due  to  your  exactions 
and  your  unreasonable  requirements  of  a 
child." 

"Wal,   I  know  what  is  best  for  her,  better 


MINTA      ABEL  147 

than  you,"  he  replied,  hissing  the  words 
through  the  vacant  space  of  his  tooth. 

"Then,  if  you  know  what  is  best  for  her, 
you  will  get  a  surgeon  and  have  her  jaw  set," 
she  said  quietly,  for  she  desired  to  bring  this 
exciting  conversation  to  a  close. 

"I'll  call  Dr.  Links.  He's  good  e-nuff  and 
it  'ill  not  cost  us  so  much,"  said  Ezra  McBride, 
feeling  a  little  questionable  consolation  in  the 
thought  that  Dr.  Links,  a  quack,  and  there- 
fore a  cheap  doctor,  would  charge  less  than  an 
experienced  and  skillful   one. 

To  this,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  Mrs.  Mc- 
Bride assented,  and  the  result  was  most  unfor- 
tunate to  Minta,  for  the  so-called  Dr.  Links 
was  a  villainous  quack  and  he  bound  up  Minta's 
beautiful  face  in  a  bungling  manner,  and  as  a 
result  when  the  time  came  for  the  bones  to  be 
knit  together,  and  the  bandages  removed,  it 
was  found  that  her  lower  jaw  was  askew,  pro- 


I48  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

jecting  her  lip  and  jaw  to  one  side  in  a  start- 
ling- manner  to  behold,  changing  the  aspect  of 
her  countenance,  maiming  her,  as  it  seemed, 
for  life,  and  robbing  her  comely  face  of  its 
beauty  and  attractiveness,  for  her  face  now 
conveyed  no  idea  of  the  fine  mental  qualities 
she  possessed,  nor  of  the  fine  and  tender  feel- 
ings of  her  heart.  While  her  mother  felt  deep- 
ly the  calamity  of  this  misfortune  to  her 
daughter,  and  gave  to  her  a  sympathy  she  had 
long  ago  withheld,  her  cynical  husband 
viewed  Minta's  misfortune  with  unconcern  and 
ridicule,  and  opposed  his  wife's  pleadings  to 
have  the  bone  reset,  but  finally,  after  much 
urging,  he  reluctantly  consented  to  have  it 
done,  but  upon  consulting  a  surgeon  they  were 
told  that  owing  to  the  complicated  nature  of 
the  fracture,  and  of  its  close  proximity  to  the 
head  and  throat,  that  the  result  of  such  a  course 


MINT  A      ABF.  I.  I4«) 

would  be  uncertain,  owing  to  the  difficulty  of 
renewing'  the  original  fracture. 

The  purpose  was  then  abandoned,  and  poor 
Minta  seemed  destined  to  carry  this  misfortune 
through  life  to  her  grave. 

She  resigned  herself  to  this  new  affliction 
and  bore  it  with  fortitude,  but  did  not  abandon 
the  resolution  of  improving  her  mind  by  some 
unknown,  hoped-for  means.  But  "where  there 
is  a  will  there  is  a  way/'  and  genius  and  per- 
severence  will  often  accomplish  unexpected  re- 
sults, and  the  want  of  means  and  opportunity, 
of  which  so  many  complain  as  a  hindrance  to 
their  advancement,  have,  on  the  contrary,  been 
the  stepping  stones  to  the  grand  achievements 
of  others.  Thus  the  early  poverty  of  John  Ja- 
cob Astor,  Stephen  Girard,  A.  T.  Stewart  and 
others  taught  them  the  great  lesson  of  econ- 
omy, by  means  of  which  they  built  vast  for- 
tunes,   for   "economy   is   wealth."      The  early 


I  SO  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

poverty  of  Horace  Greeley,  Presidents  Lincoln 
and  Johnson,  and  others,  was  also  the  stepping- 
stone  to  their  greatness,  for  they  thereby  were 
taught  the  value  of  time  and  how  to  use  it 
judiciously.  And  thus  Minta  felt  that  she  was 
destined  in  some  unforeseen  way  to  accomplish 
her  noble  purpose. 

Having  recovered  sufficiently  from  her  fall 
she  again  began  her  labors  as  a  "cowboy," 
which  consisted  in  keeping  the  cattle  together 
on  the  best  grass  and  driving  them  to  water 
at  noon  and  home  at  night.  It  was  not  the 
labor  in  itself  which  made  it  an  unpleasant 
task,  but  it  was  being  alone  all  day,  on  the  tree- 
less, dry,  sunny  prairie,  away  from  all  that  was 
pleasing  to  her.  But  to  Minta  this  was  not  so 
great  a  deprivation  after  all,  for  her  home  was 
no  longer  pleasant  to  her,  and  it  was  a  relief 
to  her  to  be   away   from  the  reproaches  and 


MINT  A      ABEL  I5I 

abuse  ever  heaped  upon  her.     But  Minta  found 
a  friend  at  last  in  her  great  need. 

Mr.  Heisel  and  family,  a  well-to-do  stock- 
grower,  settled  in  an  adjacent  valley,  five  miles 
from  the  McBrides,  and  in  the  vicinity  of 
Minta's  herding  grounds.  As  Minta  often 
called  at  the  Heisel  ranch  for  a  drink  of  cool 
water,  she  thus  became  acquainted,  and  received 
much  sympathy  and  kindness  from  Mrs.  Heisel, 
who  was  a  woman  of  culture  and  refinement, 
having  been  a  "school-marm"  before  her  mar- 
riage. She  had  a  large  library,  a  piano  and 
other  appurtenances  of  a  well-furnished  home, 
Minta  timidly  asked  her  for  the  loan  of  a  book, 
which  she  freely  granted,  saying,  "You  can 
have  others,  also." 

Thus  was  Minta  made  happy  by  the  kindness 
of  a  friend,  and  ever  after  this  when  herding 
the  cattle  was  she   seen   with   book  in  hand, 


i  52  J   li  ]■      S  T  0  R  \      0  V       \      PIO  N  E  E  R 

reading  under  the   shadow    of   an   improvised 
screen  made  of  her  blanket. 

As  the  cows  could  be  left  alone  for  three  or 
four  hours  at  a  time  each  day,  Minta  had  am- 
ple time  to  visit  Mrs.  Heisel,  who  became  to 
her  a  benefactor  and  a  friend.  She  taught  her 
to  do  fancy  work,  for  which  her  genius  and 
taste  gave  her  an  aptitude.  Mrs.  Heisel  found 
a  real  pleasure  in  this  benevolent  work,  for 
'Minta  had  told  her  the  sad  history  of  her  life 
in  such  beautiful  and  masterly  language  that 
she  was  prepossessed  in  her  favor,  and  there- 
fore willingly  aided  her  in  her  praiseworthy 
effort.  It  was  thus  that  Minta  spent  the 
eleventh  and  twelfth  years  of  her  life,  making 
the  most  of  the  poor  opportunities  she  had  for 
mental  culture  and  improvement,  for  there 
were  then  no  schools  in  cattle  growing  dis- 
tricts. But  during  the  winter  in  which  she 
had  entered  into  her  thirteenth  year  Ezra  Mc- 


M    I    \  T  A        \  It  E  1.  1  $[\ 

Bride  had  grown,  occasionally,  so  ill  natnred 
to  Minta  that  he  often  in  his  anger  threatened 
to  drive  her  away  from  home,  and  so  deep 
and  strong  was  his  prejudice  against  her  that 
he  seemed  to  he  pleased  when  she  was  out  of 
his  sight. 

Her  mother,  seeing  the  condition  of  affairs, 
and  for  the  peace  and  quiet  of  the  family,  and 
for  the  advantage  of  Minta,  was  considering 
where  to  find  her  a  more  pleasant  home. 

While  matters  thus  stood  Mrs.  Heisel  called 
upon  the  McBrides  to  ascertain  if  she  could 
secure  the  services  of  Minta  for  a  few  weeks. 
She  was  surprised  to  learn  that  her  parents 
would  permit  Minta  to  go  for  an  unlimited 
time,  simply  for  her  hoard  and  clothing  and 
three  months'  tuition  in  the  year.  Thus  Minta's 
home  was  now  changed  to  I  leisel's,  which  filled 
her  with  delight — for  it  was  a  happy  change  to 
her.      All   was  now  so  pleasant  and  genial  to 


T54  THE     STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

her  that  she  seemed  to  have  been  transported 
into  another  and  a  happier  world. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  first  summer  of 
her  residence  with  the  Heisels  she  met  with 
an  accident  which  nearly  cost  her  her  life.  She 
was  thrown  violently  to  the  ground  from  a 
horse  which  she  was  riding,  knocking  her 
senseless  and  severely  injuring  her  about  the 
head.  When  she  had  come  to  her  senses  again 
it  was  found  that  her  jaw  was  once  more 
broken.  A  good  surgeon  was  secured,  and 
when  it  was  healed  and  the  bandages  removed 
her  jaw  was  luckily  natural  and  straight 
again,  her  teeth  and  lips  meeting  properly, 
which  again  changed  her  features,  this  time  for 
the  better,  rendering  her  once  more  beautiful 
and  attractive,  much  to  the  delight  of  Mrs. 
Heisel. 

In  the  autumn  of  that  year,  and  on  the  twen- 
ty-fifth day  of  September,  the  Colorado  Agri- 


M  I  N  T  A      A  P.  El.  155 

cultural  Fair  was  to  be  held  in  Denver,  and 
a  premium  purse  of  three  hundred  dollars  in 
gold,  donated  by  a  rich  mining  man,  was  to 
be  awarded  to  the  best  young  lady  rider,  none 
but  misses  over  the  age  of  twelve  and  not  over 
sixteen  years  to  compete.  Minta,  now  in  her 
thirteenth  year,  desired  to  compete  for  this 
prize.  Mrs.  Heizel  made  over  for  Minta  one 
of  her  gayest  riding  habits  and  Minta  was  fur- 
nished a  beautiful  black  horse  upon  which  she 
trained  for  the  contest.  When  the  day  arrived 
Minta  was  on  hand,  anxious  and  excited,  and 
as  beautiful  in  her  gay  dress  as  a  full  blown 
rose.  With  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Heisel,  at 
the  appointed  time  she  appeared  mounted  on 
her  noble  black  horse  in  lady-like  posture,  and 
without  a  saddle,  being  seated  on  a  single  red 
blanket  folded  and  held  to  place  by  a  sur- 
cingle. Many  pioneers  of  the  early  days  of 
Colorado  will  remember  the  excitement  of  the 


f 56  l    If  !•'      S  T  OR  Y      6  F      A      P  I  0  \  E  R  R 

vast  crowd  of  spectators  on  this  occasion.  A.S" 
the  competitors,  six  in  number,  leisurely  walked 
their  horses  around  the  race  track,  some  said 
of  Minta:  "Doesn't  she  look  well."  Others, 
"I  wonder  how  she  can  stick  on  her  horse  with- 
out a  sidesaddle."  Others  said :  "I  bet  she'll 
win."  All  was  now  anxiety  and  excitement. 
The  horses  now  increased  their  speed  into  a 
gentle  trot,  and  as  the  contestants  rode  abreast, 
it  was  a  grand  and  beautiful  sight  to  behold 
these  young  and  fair  contestants.  As  they  in- 
creased their  speed  the  crowd  gave  forth  loud 
shouts  of  encouragement.  When  the  excite- 
ment was  at  its  height  and  the  horses  were  in 
a  lope,  Minta,  affected  by  the  exciting  influences 
around  her,  the  brass  band,  with  its  stimulating 
music,  the  applauding  shouts  of  the  people, 
had  her  spirits  so  aroused  that  she  leaped  to 
her  feet,  and  standing  on  her  horse,  thus 
rode  around    the    half-mile    track,    amid    the 


M  I  X  T  A       ABEL  157 

deafening  shouts  of  the  people.  She  then  grace- 
fully dropped  to  her  former  position  on  the 
back  of  her  horse.  It  was  not  hard  to  predict 
who  had  won  the  prize.  Within  an  hour's  time 
Minta  was  informed  that  the  judges  had 
awarded  the  prize  to  her.  Thus  was  she  in  a 
measure  compensated  for  her  services  as  a 
"cowboy,"  by  which  she  had  gained  the  skill 
that  won  her  the  purse  of  gold.  And  thus 
what  seemed  once  the  most  hopeless  conditions 
for  her  advancement  was  the  very  means  by 
which  it  was  attained,  for  this  money  enabled 
her  to  begin  her  education. 

Mr.  Heisel,  having  sold  out  his  large 
herd  of  cattle  and  ranch  for  a  princely  sum, 
now  made  his  abode  with  his  family  in  his 
stylish  brick  residence  on  a  fashionable  street 
in  the  gay  and  bustling  city  of  Denver.  Minta 
now  had  all  the  advantages  of  a  stylish  and 
comfortable  home  and  the  benefits  of  the  best 


158  THE      STORY      OF      A      PIONEER 

society  secured  to  her.  By  this  happy  turn  of 
fortune  in  her  favor  she  was  enabled  to  obtain 
several  years'  tuition  at  the  Denver  University, 
an  institution  of  learning-  equal  to  any  for  boys 
and  girls,  with  but  a  small  outlay  of  money. 
By  advice  of  Mr.  Heisel  and  a  wide-awake  real 
estate  agent,  she  placed  fifty  dollars  in  a  rough- 
looking  lot  on  a  back  street.  This  investment 
proved  fortunate  for  her,  for  the  incomprehensi- 
ble and  wondrous  growth  of  the  Queen  City 
of  the  Plains  soon  spread  around  and  beyond 
it,  in  the  short  time  of  three  years,  so  as  to 
increase  its  value  more  than  a  hundred  fold. 
But  Minta  did  not  sell  it,  for  she  was  still  a 
pupil  at  school,  as  eager  as  ever  to  store  her 
mind  with  useful  knowledge,  and  she  was 
not  led  away  from  her  course  nor  bewildered 
by  the  dazzling  prospect  of  her  good  for- 
tune. But  her  last  year  at  school  was  now 
drawing  to  a  close,  and  the  "commencement 


MIXTA      ABEL  159 

exercises,"  so-called,  would  close  her  career  as 
a  school  girl.  She  was  allowed  by  her  teachers, 
as  a  courtesy,  and  in  recognition  of  her  great 
literary  attainment,  to  select  her  own  subject 
for  an  original  address,  and  on  the  program 
appeared  her  name  thus :  "Valedictorian, 
Minta  Abel." 

A  large  crowd  of  people  filled  the  University 
Hall  on  this  occasion,  and  when  Minta  appeared 
on  the  platform,  and  looked  over  the  audience 
with  that  leisure  and  quiet,  indicative  of  self 
reliance  and  ability,  anxiety  and  interest  was 
manifested  in  every  face;  for  the  magnetic 
power  of  her  presence  was  felt  by  all.  The 
figure  she  presented  as  she  thus  stood  was 
grand  in  the  extreme,  and  one  which  many 
a  more  tenderly  raised  young  lady  would  envy. 
Her  beautiful  face  was  flushed  with  the  glow 
of  good  health,  and  every  feature  bore  marks 
of  intellectual  superiority. 


l6o  THE      STORY      OF      A      l'IU  N  E  F  K 

She  possessed  a  form  of  such  lithesome 
grace,  and  beauty  of  proportions,  as  is  only  ob- 
tained by  outdoor  life  and  exercise.  Her  voice 
was  full  and  melodious,  her  words  sprang-  from 
her  lips  as  clear  and  distinct  as  sounds  from  a 
bell.  She  spoke  more  as  an  accomplished  ora- 
tor than  as  a  school  girl.  She  spoke  without 
the  conventional  manuscript,  and,  as  it  were, 
from  the  impulse  of  the  moment.  A  breathless 
silence  reigned  throughout  the  hall,  as  she  be- 
came earnest  in  her  discourse,  and  when  she 
began  to  describe  the  duties  of  the  pupils  when 
they  entered  upon  the  realities  of  life,  the  buf- 
fets, the  malice  and  selfishness  of  the  world,  and 
of  the  fortitude  and  moral  integrity  requisite 
to  offset  this,  she  spoke  with  such  eloquence  and 
power,  and  with  such  an  easy  flow  of  words, 
that  she  surprised  and  fascinated  all  with  the 
grandeur,  logic  and  beauty  of  her  address. 

After  leaving  school  she  was  urged  by  ad- 


MINTAABEL  l6l 

miring  friends  to  study  law  in  emulation  of 
Mrs.  Clara  Foltz,  the  phenomenal  and  success- 
ful woman  lawyer  of  San  Francisco,  Cal.  She 
readily  formed  this  resolution,  and  to  that  end 
had  sold  her  city  lot  for  the  snug  sum  of  six 
thousand  dollars.  But,  on  the  eve  of  her  de- 
parture for  the  law  school,  she  learned  from 
a  friend  that  her  cruel  stepfather  was  deeply 
in  debt,  owing  to  his  bad  management  of  her 
mother's  affairs,  and  that  he  and  her  mother 
would  lose  their  home  in  consequence  of  the 
foreclosure  of  a  mortgage.  Her  mind  was. 
made  up  in  an  instant. 

The  sale  of  the  McBride  homestead  was  the 
occasion  for  the  gathering  together  of  a  large 
crowd  of  queerly  dressed  cowboys  and  ranch- 
men. Before  the  auctioneer  began  the  sale,  a 
well  dressed  lady,  an  apparent  stranger  to  all, 
drove  up  in  a  gay  livery  rig,  and  attracted  the 


l62  THE      STORY      OF      A       PIONEER 

attention  of  all  for  a  while.  She  looked  upon 
the  scene  with  apparent  unconcern  till 
the  sale  began,  when  she  drove  closer  to  the 
auctioneer.  When  apparently  the  last  bid, 
fifteen  hundred  dollars,  was  made  and  the 
warning  given  that  the  sale  would  soon  close 
for  want  of  bids,  sixteen  hundred  dollars  was 
heard  to  come  from  the  solitary  lady  in  the 
carriage.  All  eyes  were  then  directed  towards 
her,  while  wonder  filled  the  minds  of  all  pres- 
ent, and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McBride,  who  looked 
sorrowfully  upon  the  sad  scene,  wondered  more 
than  all  others.  Sixteen  hundred  and  fifty  dol- 
lars came  from  a  bystander.  Seventeen  hun- 
dred dollars  was  offered.  Eighteen  hundred 
dollars  from  the  lady  in  the  carriage.  This  was 
the  last  bid  and  the  sale  was  closed. 

She  now  hitched  her  team  to  the  fence  with 
the  skill  of  an  adept,  and  with  the  fortitude  of 
a  soldier  entered  the  house  she  had  left  five 


MINTA      ABEL  163 

years  before,  and  in  a  haughty  tone  and  man- 
ner said  to  her  cruel  stepfather : 

"Ezra  McBride,  this  is  the  day  of  my  triumph 
and  the  day  you  shall  be  humiliated  for  the 
cruelty  you  unjustly  and  heartlessly  heaped 
upon  me  when  a  child  under  this  very  roof." 

"That's  false,  you  never  wus  under  this  here 
roof  afore,"  said  he,  hissing  the  words  through 
the  space  of  his  tooth. 

"Do  you  know  Minta  Abel,  whom  you  drove 
from  this  house,"  she  replied,  "and  who  now 
enters  by  right  of  law,  and  who  may  or  may 
not  treat  you  in  a  like  cruel  manner?" 

Ezra  McBride  now  recognizing  Minta,  cried 
out  in  an  agony  of  grief:  "Oh,  Minta,  fur- 
give,  furgive  me,"  and  he  wept  like  a  child. 
Her  mother,  bewildered,  confused  and  sad, 
asked  her  forgiveness,  and  also  wept,  while 
Nana,  her  little  half  sister,  looked  on  in  sad 
wonder. 


164  THE     STORY     OF      A      PIONEER 

After  the  needed  explanations  were  made  by 
each,  and  her  father  had  apologized  for  his 
cruel,  ungovernable  temper,  a  better  feeling 
took  possession  of  all,  and  Minta  then  made 
out  a  free  life  lease  of  the  ranch  to  her  father 
and  mother. 

After  an  affectionate  parting  with  them  she 
rode  away  and  entered  an  eastern  law  school, 
from  which  in  due  time  she  graduated.  She 
then  took  up  her  abode  in  Helena,  Montana, 
where  she  opened  a  law  office  on  one  of  its  busy 
streets,  and  she  has  now,  it  is  reported,  al- 
ready secured  a  lucrative  law  practice  in  both 
the  upper  and  lower  courts. 

Thus  we  see  that  success  in  life  depends 
more  upon  determined  effort,  unyielding  per- 
severance and  industry  than  upon  great  advan- 
tages or  upon  ample  means,  as  exemplified  in 
this  sketch  of  the  life  of  the  "Cow  Herder 
Girl." 


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